


The Rising Sun

by Erring_and_umming



Category: Young Dracula (TV)
Genre: Betrayal, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slayers, Slow Burn, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:42:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23679352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erring_and_umming/pseuds/Erring_and_umming
Summary: Vlad returns to Garside Grange after leaving the school in shame from the events of "Bad Vlad." Upon his return, people from his past arrive that he had not expected to see again. Suspicious of their motives and their knowledge he vows to keep a close eye on them in hopes of protecting his family and his increasingly inconvenient secrets.
Relationships: Robin Branagh/Vladimir Dracula, Vladimir Dracula/Erin Noble
Comments: 7
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been rewatching Young Dracula and I couldn't help but write this! Expect a new chapter very soon!

**Chapter 1**

The school was ablaze with talk, whispers whipped throughout the halls like snakes, moving from one breather to the next with ferocity. Vlad knew his first day back after what had happened was going to be difficult however he hadn’t expected his disappearance to come with so much talk. Faces turned towards him, brows furrowed with curiosity, he heard snatches of conversation, 

_“God I knew the Counts were pale but Christ Vlad looks dead.”_ __

_“I wonder where he’s been.”_

_“What a freak.”_

He couldn’t help but let a smirk crawl across his lips, the irony not lost on him. He walked to his first period side stepping the shafts of sunlight that crept into the hallways, feeling the tightness in his chest as he held his breath. While there was no longer a need to breath it was difficult to shuck the familiar habit from his body and although he was surer in his ability to avoid the temptation of the multiple heartbeats around him, it was better to not allow the alluring scent of humanity to pass under his nose. But guilt still clawed in his belly as he saw a few cautious glances flicked his way many of the breathers had been exposed to a refraction of himself that he wished no one had seen, a part that gnawed at him constantly.

“Vlad!” he was shook out of his revere as Ms. Macaulay’s face filled his vision stopping him in his tracks.

“Oh! Um hi Ms Macaulay…” he wrung his hands unable to meet her eyes, “before you say anything! I wanted to apologize for the other week…you were right to suspend me; I was out of line.” He said, hoping to placate the tirade that he knew was to come.

“Yes, you gave us all quiet a fright Vlad but it’s okay. Growing up can be really difficult especially with your special circumstances,” her warmth was a surprising balm, but Vlad felt his skin prickle with suspicion.

“Special circumstances?” Vlad asked cautiously, now staring at her in an attempt to ascertain what she knew just from the pale plains of her face.

“Well your father being the owner,” she replied placing a hand upon his arm, “it must be difficult with the other students.”

“Ah. Right…yes,” Vlad felt the tension that had wracked his body release. It wasn’t unlikely that his father would let their secret slip to his beloved Ms. Macauley, he was truly becoming a bit senile in his age.

“But that’s not what I stopped you for,” Ms. Macauley placed a hand on his back and guided him through the hallway towards her office, “now your father told me your family moved from Stokely is that right?”

“Um yes,” Vlad looked around at the students that watched them as they passed. Reaching the office Ms. Macaulay turned to him smiling broadly.

“Well we have some new students who have arrived on scholarship from Stokely and I thought it would be best if you showed them round. If you could?”

Vlad’s mind went into overdrive, it would only be his luck that his family would have been found. There was a greater possibility it could have been someone he barely knew form the village but after Ingrid’s reign of terror there was no telling what even a regular member of the Stokely community knew, or what they were capable of, “Um, I don’t know if that’s the best idea Ms. Macauley, I have Home Economics in a few moments anyway.” He gulped at the pitch of his voice that had raised a few octaves in his panic.

“Nonsense!” Ms. Macaulay smiled, “Your father has been trying to get you out of that class all year anyway, he’ll be glad to see you taking a more active role in the Garside community. Now come on.” She opened the door into her office, the sunlight streaming through the window and Vlad felt himself take an involuntary step back as the two students were revealed.

Two familiar faces that looked up at him smiling from their seats in front of Ms. Macaulay’s desk. Jono Van Helsing and Robin Branaugh were sitting right there, a slayer and a vampire lover in the same room together, each in their own set of pristine uniforms. Vlad felt the cool chill of panic settle into his bones and that familiar empty space in his chest when he looked at Robin. Garlic he had missed him.

“Boys! This is Vlad Count. He’ll be giving you a tour of the school.” Ms. Macauley swept into the room, unaware of Vlad’s rising discontent. If he could sweat, he would have been, as he stood in the doorway out of the sunlight that filled the room like liquid gold, “Come on Vlad don’t be shy.” She sat down at the desk.

Vlad scuttled into the room, staying near the back of the room near the bookcase where he was just out of reach of the deadly fingers of sunlight that reached for him through the room.

Robin shot a questioning look towards him turning to Ms. Macauley, “Well I’m dead keen to have a look round, Vlad and I used to be best makes back in Stokely!”

Ms. Macaulay brightened at this, “Really?” clapping her hands together, “Well then this has worked out perfectly! Vlad show them round the school grounds and then help them find their first class, I have a meeting with Jono’s mum soon and you all can’t just hang out here all day!” She laughed to herself as Vlad shifted uncomfortably, looking at the backs of the two boys who had haunted him for years.

She gestured for them to leave as she looked down towards some paperwork, a universal sign of dismissal. Vlad stuttered out an excuse, but it was swallowed by the scrap of chairs as Robin and Jono stood and walked towards him.

“Nice to see you again mate!” Jono smile and clapped him on the shoulder, walking out in the hallway.

Vlad sighed and closing the office door behind the two boys as the bell rang for first period. Looking around the hallway the swarms of breathers dissipated quickly towards their classes leaving it empty, the sounds of the beginning of class only a whisper.

He rounded on the two boys, “So you remember me?”

“Of course!” Robin said, surprise colouring his features, “How could we forget our best mate?” he asked bringing him into a quick hug. Vlad gasped unable to control himself air flooded into his lungs carrying the scent of Robin, his warmth was intoxicating. He felt the sharp sting of his fangs cutting into his bottom lip, and his stomach roll as if filled with oily snakes. Gripping the boy tightly he pushed him away, looking away for a moment again, “Are-are you okay Vlad?” Robin asked, his brown eyes filled with concern.

“I’m fine,” Vlad bit out. Tension hung thickly in the air between the three boys.

“Come on then Vlad! Show us around and you better tell us what happened to you. You just up and disappeared!” Jono said, shoving his hands into his pockets he set off in a random direction. 

This was going to be a difficult day. Vlad need to make sure that the mind wipe was still in place. Probably best not to let his family know that a possible slayer and his ex-best breather friend had arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this one is short! Just wanted to give you a little taste of what's to come


	2. Swooning and Sulking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Okay, this is becoming a bit of a project! I've written two chapters today! Under this quarantine, I should have more time to write this so expect some more in the coming days!

“So, Vlad,” Jono asked as they walked through the sterile halls of the science block, “what have you been up to since leaving Stokely?” His eyes roaming around the rooms filled with students holding beakers or listening to monotonous lectures. 

“Oh well,” images of Vlad and his dad rushing out of Stokely in fear of their sister, Erin’s face smiling, his training, the horror of the mirror, the opening of the Praedictum Impaver’s blank pages, “nothing much honestly, just going to school.” 

“Sure mate? Look at you!” Robin exclaimed bumping into him, “You got all dark and mysterious. I’m sure you’ve gotten all the girls! But what happened to all the colours you wore?” 

Vlad couldn’t help but smile as he looked down at himself and then back up at Robin, “Well what happened to the cape you used to wear? I swear you were so in love with vampires you’d think they were real!” he said shooting him a searching gaze. 

Robin laughed, “Oh yeah, I remember that. No wonder I didn’t have many friends. Finally realised there was no such thing as vampires, so I ditched to cape a while ago. Actually, funnily enough, it was right after you left.” His face seemed to twitch for a moment then he smiled. “Good thing too or I reckon Jono and I wouldn’t have become such good friends,” he threw his arm around the shorter boy bringing him in and tousling his hair. 

Vlad forced himself to laugh, but he couldn’t help the burning sense of loss, it seemed that Robin didn’t remember vampires at all. He had lost all of the memories they had shared. “But what about you guys? What has been happening in your lives since I left?” 

A silence settled over the two boys, they stiffened minutely as they looked at Vlad, “Well, I’m sure you heard but Stokely hasn’t been the safest place since you left,” Jono said, scuffing his feet on the floor, “Some people think there way a gang, or a cult or something beyond…the normal ya know. The old women who always say that sort of thing, mind’s turning to cheese with all the gossip they talk,” Vlad felt a dread settle into his bones, he knew that Ingrid had caused chaos but he never knew the full extent. Choosing to ignore his home town for the sake of his own mental health. Jono continued, “I’m with my mum now, that’s why we moved, dad died…had nothing to do with the gang, it was an accident but we had to move…too many memories,” he whispered, water gathering in the corner of his eyes. Vlad’s heart went out to the boy, while they hadn’t been on good terms in Stokely he would have hated to lose his father, he couldn’t imagine what sort of pain he was going through. 

“I’m so sorry Jono,” Vlad said, placing a hand on the boy’s back, patting it in awkward circles. It was very possible that Ingrid had a hand in Eric’s death, he felt his heart shatter at the thought of Ingrid doing something so wicked, but he should have known better, she so relished in the blood of slayers now. 

“Yeah,” he coughed, “Yeah it’s okay Vlad, not your fault.” He said, looking towards Robin whose face was a stony mask, “Anway,” he rolled his shoulders, straightening up, “want to show us the soccer pitch? Remember when we all used to play? Man, it’s been too long since I’ve kicked a ball around.” 

Robin smiled at that, “Yeah that would be nice! Do you still play Vlad? Remember how you used to have to sneak out of the castle all the time? Your dad was so strict!” he said laughing as Vlad looked out the window at the rare cloudless day. He couldn’t remember Robin ever having an interest in anything to do with outside, as it had the potential to ruin his ‘pale and interesting’ look but looking him over again it seemed that Robin had a bit of tan. He must have gotten over it. 

“Err, I haven’t played in a while,” Vlad said, slowing down and looking towards one of the doors that led out into the school ground with a nervous flicker, stepping back slightly away from the door. 

“Well then we best go kick a ball around!” Robin said, and he ran over to the door grabbing for the handle. 

Vlad felt his heart leap into his throat, “Robin! Don—” Leaping away from the risk of the sunlight. 

“Vladdy!” Vlad pivoted around and felt his heart move from his throat to his shoes as the familiar swaggering gait of his father met him. It seemed to have distracted Robin though as he came up behind him. 

“Oh no here comes trouble,” Robin said and Vlad couldn’t help but agree as his father looked towards the two boys his eyes wide and hungry. 

“Hi Da—” 

“Hi Mister Count!” Jono stepped forward holding out his hand, “How have you been sir?” 

The Count’s eyes found Vlad’s confusion painted across his face and Vlad could only shrug helplessly. 

“I’ve never been better! Young breather,” Count hissed swooping towards him to Vlad’s horror, taking Jono’s hand in his own as he shook it. 

Jono laughed, “Oh man Mr. Count, I forgot your weird sayings. Hey, your hand is freezing,” Jono looked towards Vlad smiling, “You sure you’ve got heating in the place?” Who choked on laughter, at the calm look on Jono’s face. It was such an unfamiliar sight, to see Jono smiling in the presence of two of the undead. 

“Quite right,” pulling his hand from Jono’s grasp, “Vlad a word if you would?” he said already pulling him away in a vice-like grip from the two boys who watched with unmarred confusion. 

When the two boys were out of earshot The Count looked at him his irises turning a deep shade of ruby, he opened his mouth to speak. 

Vlad rushed over him, “I don’t know dad! I didn’t invite them. Don’t have a go at me for this one!” he hissed. 

“Who else would it be other than the breather lover I have as a son,” The Count looked towards the two boys who were shuffling awkwardly, obviously aware of the tension between the two. There was a beat of silence, Vlad knew that his father did not approve of his nature, but the sharp tone whipped across his skin leaving him exposed, “Do they remember?” 

“I’m not sure…I don’t think so. I need to test the memory wipe. It had such a strong hold of Renfeild, it’s doubtful…Jono thinks we were friends, I can’t imagine a slayer being able to say such things,” Vlad couldn’t help the sardonic tone that slithered into his voice. 

“Well then,” The Count turned towards the boys, “let us test your powers then Chosen One,” He flittered to the boys in an ink blur bearing his fangs and his hissed his voice reverberating throughout the hallway, “Remember me breathers?” his voice a low grumble. 

Vlad watched on in horror as the two boys began to fall, rushing over in a blink he grabbed both of them before their bodies hit the floor. 

“Dad!” he seethed, bearing his own fangs, anger filling his body like acid, chewing at his insides, “Why did you do that?” 

His father smiled, running his hands down his ornate jacket, taking great care not to look at his son as he picked at the invisible lint, “Now we know that the mind wipe in still intact, no need to thank me,” The Count said, smiling indulgently as he turned and walked away, “Oh and Vladdy,” he said as he turned, “drain them while you can, don’t need them telling anyone where we are…now do we?” his question chilled the room and he smiled with too many teeth, filled with menace, the shadows seemed to dance around him for a moment, “I’m going to see Ms. Macaulay, save some blood for me son!” he said as he vanished. 

Looking down at the two boys, their eyes closed and faces peaceful, Vlad felt the familiar pull, the arteries in their necks singing that familiar tune. One that constantly played in the back of Vlad’s mind that he could never completely chase away. He looked away, willing his fangs to shrink as he clicked his fingers sharply, both boys bolting awake sitting up, nearly colliding head with Vlad who hung above them. 

“Oh Jesus, what happened?” Robin asked, rubbing his head. 

“Must have been the excitement,” Vlad said, painting a smile upon his face as he helped the two boys up, “Do you want me to take you guys to the nurse?” 

“I’m sure we’ll be fine, can’t be sent home on our first day,” Robin said, given Vlad a light punch in the arm. 

“Can you help us find our classes Vlad?” Jono said, grabbing his backpack and rifling through it, seemingly completely recovered from fainting already. 

“Sure,” Vlad said carefully, taking the piece of paper from the boy, “Looks like you’ve got maths Jono,” the boy groaned much to Vlad’s amusement, it seemed a hatred of maths was a shared trait between most vampires and humans. 

“What about me?” Robin said, holding about his timetable, Vlad felt his breath hitch looking at Robin he felt a familiar churning in his chest, as if his bones were suddenly filled with air as the boy smiled at him. 

“Um,” Vlad held out his hand and took the paper from Robin, their fingers brushed together as he pulled his hand away a bit too quickly and looked down at the paper, “Oh we have History together,” Vlad said gulping as Robin smiled. Oh, Satan his was done for. 

“Excellent!” Robin said, “I hate history, but it should be alright if we’re together,” he shoved him timetable back in his bag. 

“Oh Robin! We need to grab the papers for Ms. Macauley from the car,” Jono said, “Do you mind Vlad? We won’t be a second.” 

“Oh yeah,” Vlad replied, he said as the warning bell rung for class, “No worries, do you know where your car is, or do you need me to direct you back?” 

“We’ll be alright Vlad,” Robin said, putting his backpack back on, “We’ll only be a tick and you can show us to class.” 

“Yeah no worries, don’t be long, we only have ten minutes between classes,” Vlad said, looking at his watch. 

The boys turned away waving. 

Vlad leaned against the wall, watching them leave sighing he banged his head against the bricks and followed them, frustrated at himself for his lack of trust.   
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Is he following us?” Jono hissed in his ear, swiveling around Robin couldn’t see Vlad anywhere within the throng of students. 

“I don’t think so,” Robin whispered back. 

“Okay let’s get to the car,” Jono said as he rushed through the crowd bumping into students as Robin sent them apologetic smiles for his haste. 

They burst into the sunlight as they rushed to the car, opening the boot Jono reached down and grabbed the papers they were looking for. 

“Are you going to be okay Robin? Alone in class with Vlad?” Jono asked concern marring his features, furrowing his brow. 

“I’ll be fine Jono, I can take care of myself,” Robin said smiling, but he couldn’t ignore the flipping in his stomach and the sweat that gathered in his hands. 

“Look,” Jono scanned the carpark and the building behind them for any sign of the pale boy, “just…take this,” he took out a thin stake from the boot, it’s wicked sharp point gleamed in the sunlight, “it’s treated with garlic juice, so if he tries anything…you know what to do. Just keep it up your sleeve or something so he doesn’t notice.” Jono said passing Robin the stake. 

Robin smiled his eyes stormy, “I’d dust the bloodsucker with pleasure given the chance,” he whispered taking the stake in his hands. 

Jono smiled, “I know you would just…be safe, we need Vlad. We know that he must be the Chosen One and he could be a great asset to the Guild if we can get the information we need out of him. Just…think of Chloe and what she would have wanted. Besides, he doesn’t seem to want to drain us just yet, did you hear his father. What a creep!” 

“I get what you’re saying,” Robin’s voice was steel, schooling his features at the mention of Chloe, “I’ll try not to stake him as soon as I see him,” he tucked the stake up his sleeve. 

“Let’s go, he’s probably waiting anxiously for his breather boyfriend to return,” Jono laughed as Robin punched him in the arm. 

“That’s disgusting! Jesus don’t even joke about that,” Robin said but he remembered as if struck by lightning the exploring and chaste kisses that he and Vlad had shared when they were young a wave of revolution swimming though him at the thought of the coldness of his lips. 

“Sorry, sorry! But did you see the way that biter was looking at you?” Jono asked leering. 

“He just wants to bite us, nothing else,” Robin said angrily, storming back into the school.   
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Vlad watched the boys from a distance, but he had obviously missed much of their conversation. He had gotten caught by perturbed Erin in the hallway, his rush unfortunately left her disgruntled. He just caught Robin stuffing something into his sleeve, probably a snack knowing the boy. 

He lurked in the shadow of the red brick, he strained to hear their conversation, but it was as if his ears were stuffed with cotton. He could see their lips moving and the thrum of their blood moving through their bodies but there was nothing in their voices, as if the air was empty and unable to carry the vibrations. Could this have been his powers failing him? Normally under the light of the sun his powers were weaker, even when in the shadows he felt drained. 

He watched the two embrace and he couldn’t help but bristle, Jono would have never been friends with Robin if he knew of all the ways that Robin had sabotaged him and his father. The way that Robin used to poke fun at their inexperience. 

He couldn’t understand how the boys had become friends at all, but it wasn’t his business, they had obviously moved on from him, aged and grown. Robin had filled out and Jono now had a wispy moustache that did nothing for his overall look. They knew nothing of the frozen world of vampires that they used to inhabit but that was probably for the best. They were nearly men; they would get jobs and have families possibly. They had their whole lives ahead of them. Vlad couldn’t help the searing jealous that burnt through him at the thought. Like a condemned man he watched them, his eyes burning with tears that he wished he could shed. He had missed them, even Jono. He had truly liked the boy before he fell for the temptation of slaying. 

As he watched on with a careful eye he noticed Robin storm away giving him his cue to return to their agreed meeting place before he was caught watching them. He smirked watching as Jono chase after Robin, maybe it wasn’t so sunny in paradise as he had first thought.


	3. A Bite to Eat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Here is chapter 3. I hope you enjoy it!

After dropping off Jono at his maths class, Vlad was glad to have some time with Robin by himself as they walked through the hallways. He couldn’t help but shoot glances towards the boy, drinking in the differences from the Robin he had once known. This new and unfamiliar creature was tall and muscular, hair styled in a way the old Robin would have hated; all finely combed away from his eyes. There was something in those dark eyes that wasn’t there before, it hung within his irises like smoke below the surface. He couldn’t put his finger on it exactly, but there was so much of the Robin of Stokely that remained, the easy smile that graced his features, his laugh that danced between them. 

“How far away is class?” Robin asked, looking towards him and catching his gaze. Vlad looked away; he was sure if he could he would have blushed at being caught.

“Uh…not far we’ve got a sec, so we won’t be late don’t worry,” Vlad said steading his voice as he squirmed under the other boy’s gaze.

“So how is Ingrid by the way?” Robin shot him a sly smile, rubbing his hands together comically, “I’ve missed that ray of sunshine in my life.”

The sickness started in his innards at the mention of Ingrid, tearing his eyes away from Robin he looked down at his hands, “She’s alright. Living with us at the moment,” the words felt like led as they left his mouth.

“Tragic, living with her must be tough. I remember how much she used to bully you,” Robin consoled.

“I guess so, but it’s all in the past,” Vlad said, remembering the fresh blood that Ingrid had put in his cup this morning before school, just to see him squirm, “But how are the Branagh clan? Paul and Ian still causing trouble? Chloe still the smartest girl in existence?”

“Oh erm,” Vlad watched as Robin’s face crumpled like paper, “Well the twins are playing Rugby for Colchester actually and Chloe…well as Jono told you before, something happened in Stokley and she was one of the first to disappear, we never found out what happened to her,” Vlad watched as Robin struggled to hold back crystalline tears that threatened to fall down his face, red blotches appearing across his skin blooming like petals.

“Oh Robin…” Vlad went in to hug him, but the boy stepped back looking around at the watchful eyes of the other students. Instead, he fiddled with the strap of his backpack, looking at his feet his face downturned.

“Look it’s in the past, let's just forget about it and get to class,” he mumbled as he started walking again.

Vlad had the good sense to keep quiet as Robin reigned in his emotions, he felt as if he has been thrown out a window and was falling into the old slime pits of Stokely castle, the darkness of it was all-consuming. Chloe was dead, he was sure of it and he was pretty sure he knew who had done it. His reflections roared for revenge, roiling within him like a storm as they shrieked for the blood of Ingrid, just wishing for a target to unleash their power upon. He felt his fists clench and unclench, just holding back on the instinct that bayed for Ingrid’s blood, that commanded him to find Ingrid and rip out her throat for what she had done to the ones he cared for. He clawed at these inner fiends, willing them back into that dark space at the back of his mind, this wasn’t about him. Robin had obviously been through a lot since his leaving and it was, to some extent his fault. There could have been someway he could have protected the Branaughs or he could have defeated Ingrid when he had the chance. But there was something niggling in his mind that said in those days he wouldn’t have been able to go through with it, Robin as his anchor kept him too tightly bound to his humanity. It would have been impossible for him to fall into the dark pit of his familial destiny of murder and deceit. But now seeing Robin’s face again there was a solidness to him that he hadn’t felt in years, which could be snatched away if he gave into these urges constructed of shadow. If he did fall to his reflections’ desires Robin would run from what his friend and become, what Vlad had, all those years ago vowed to never become.

“Are you coming, Vlad?” Robin turned around to face him, his face pinched in concern, “Come on, I don’t even know where we’re going,” he said walking back towards him.

Vlad forcibly wrenched himself from his thoughts, pushing all the turmoil down with a stick to deal with later. “Yeah Robin, sorry I-I am just a bit shocked I guess,” he replied walking up to the boy, “If you ever want to talk about it…you know I’m here for you, right?”

Robin smiled, it was wain a thing that stuck to his face in patches, “Yeah I know mate. Come on let’s get to class.”

The walk was short to the history classroom, but they only just managed to rush into class, Mrs. Constance watched them with a hawk-like gaze as they found their seats. Erin had saved a seat for Vlad and very few of the students were game enough to sit near him, so Robin took a seat in the empty void around him.

Erin shot Vlad a look as he sat down next to her, her eyebrows pulled together in confusion as Robin slid into the seat next to him.

“Hi Erin, did we miss anything?” Vlad whispered to her, keeping an eye on Mrs. Constance who was vicious when people didn’t pay her attention.

“Nothing much, unless you count Thomas Buckley tacking gum into his own hair. Idiot,” the two chuckled at that looking over at the gormless figure of Thomas Buckley who seemed nearly unable to keep himself awake in class, half heartedly pulling at the

“All right you lot,” Mrs. Constance spoke over them, sending a warning look, “There is a new student in our class, stand up boy,” Robin rose out of his chair a blush colouring his cheeks as he looked out at the disinterested students, “now introduce yourself.”

She sat behind her desk shuffling papers as Robin seemed stunned for a moment, raising his hand in a bit of a shy wave, “Um…hi, I’m Robin. Moved here from Wales, sure you can tell. But I don’t hate the English or anything don’t worry,” he let out a nervous laugh, “and um yeah” he sat down flustered as a few tittering chortles rippled through the classroom. Vlad sent him a sympathetic smile as Robin banged his head into the desk, hiding his face. 

‘Thank you for that Robin, very…illuminating,” she smiled, “today we will be reviewing our previous lecture on medieval warfare and the influence on the Crusade on modern military propaganda. Now get out your notebooks and I better hear no compliments for Richard the Lionheart. Do you hear me?” There was a general mumble of ascent as students got out their notebooks and began to scribble down the notes that Mrs. Constance started writing on the board.

The class passed in a blur, Vlad vaguely wondering if his father had any interest in the Crusades back in the day. He noted that Erin kept sending glances towards Robin who was surprisingly taking very meticulously notes and listening intently to the teacher. Robin seemed absorbed, which was so far removed from his claims of disliking history.

The bell tore through the silence of the room as student rushed to leave, Mrs. Constance yelled over the rush, “Don’t forget to do your homework! It’s due in on Monday!”

As the three walked out of the room Erin looked towards Robin, “I don’t think Vlad introduced us, but I’m Erin his girlfriend.” She smiled and stuck out her hand towards Robin who shook it.

“Robin, but I’m sure you knew that,” Robin said.

“Is this _the_ Robin?” she asked Vlad, looping her hand through his, “the one you told me about! The best friend, the vampire loving goth boy? I don’t believe it! Look at him,” she said with a laugh.

Vlad couldn’t help but smile, “The one and only, here at Garside, who would have believed it>” clapping Robin on the back.

“Wait, you told her about me?” Robin asked looking shocked, his eyes wide.

“Well yeah, I mean you’re my best friend Robin,” Vlad said, smiling wide, so much that it hurt. He just couldn’t help himself when he looked at the comical face Robin was pulling.

“Oh, I just…I guess I didn’t realise…it’s been so long. Um, so lunch? Ready for a bite to eat?” Robin said throwing his backpack over his shoulder.

Vlad couldn’t help but wonder if subconsciously Robin knew what he was, _bite to eat_ seems a bit too on the nose. “Actually, Robin Erin and I normally go upstairs for lunch with dad,” Vlad said, “but lets just go find Jono,” Vlad said starting off down the corridor towards Jono’s class.

“Well we could all go upstairs together you know! Catch up, it would be nice to see Ingrid, check out your house. It’s so crazy that you live in a school Vlad,” Robin said with enthusiasm, “Does Renfield still work for you? Does he still make those delicious meals?”

Before Vlad could respond in a panic Erin cut across him, “Sure Robin, Vlad and I need to grab some things from our lockers, but we can meet you back here and then head off.”

“Sure, I’ll go grab Jono,” Robin said and walked away, his shoes squeaking as he left.

Vlad turned to Erin, “What the in name of Garlic did you do that for?” seething he stared at her wanting to shake her back into her sense.

“I invited Robin to your house?” Erin said, confusion colouring her voice.

“Don’t you understand Erin? Robin doesn’t know I’m a vampire!” he said desperately, “He’s going to walk upstairs and freak out! He’ll probably try and stake me!”

“What? But you told me he knew,” Erin said, looking over Vlad’s shoulder to Robin’s retreating back.

“He _used_ to know, before I wiped his memories!” Vlad hissed, tugging at his hair in frustrations.

“You _wiped_ his memories!” Erin whispered as their near spat started to attract attention, shock was written across her face as she grabbed him by the arm, “Why would you do that?”

“To protect him! Fat lot of good that did him,” Vlad sighed, “This is okay…I can fix this, Dad and Ingrid should be asleep, I just need to remove every piece of evidence in the attic that even looks vampiric…shouldn’t be too hard,” Erin looked on unbelieving, “Just keep them busy, I’ll be back before you can say bats,” he turned and ran from her side, ignoring her startled protests. Running away from the students before he flit to the attic and into the main dining area.

* * *

“Robin!” Jono beckoned him over, “How was the class? Didn’t stake him I see,” looking Robin up and down.

“How would you know?” Robin asked thumbing the stake that sat at his wrist, the smooth wood a constant soother as he looked at the boy.

“Well no one is screaming murder, are they?” Jono said, looking around at the gaggling students, all too happy to get to lunch. He grabbed Robin by the arm, his fingers digging in nearly painfully, “Did you learn anything?” the intensity in his gaze burning into Robin’s skin.

“I think so…I don’t think Vlad knew about Chloe,” Robin said, pulling himself from Jono’s vice-like grip rubbing his arm, “Come we have to meet him anyways, he’ll be wondering where we are if we just hang around here,” he said dragging Jono down the hallways.

A harsh barking laugh left Jono’s lips, “He’s lying Robin, he would know what his sister did. Vamps are natural liars, he’s just playing with you,” he said noticing the way that Robin’s face fell, “Look I know it’s hard but we’re doing this for the ones we lost, we’ve got to know the location of the High Council and report back. As soon as we get that, we dust them.”

“I know but…I mean I remember when Vlad was…well…normal,” Robin said lost in the memories that swam within his mind, dulling the instincts that he spent so long honing at the Slayer Academy that sung for the dust of the Dracula family, “The way he looked when I told her about Chloe, he looked almost…guilty,” he whispered to Jono, a lump forming in his throat at the thought.

“Forget it Robin! He’s a bloodsucker and wants nothing to do with you other than to latch onto your neck. Don’t forget why we’re here. Remember what Vlad did to us, he left us helpless as our families fell around us. He was as evil then as he is now,” Jono hissed.

The last moments of Chloe’s life invaded his mind at the thought, her face twisted in pain and soaked in blood as Ingrid had stood over her. Leaving him alive only to torture him further as his mind twisted in on itself, unable to comprehend the truth of vampires despite the actuality that lay in from of him, held in the grey mists of Chloe’s unseeing eyes.

“You’re right, I know you’re right…” Robin said through clenched teeth, “There’s more, I got us an invite to lunch with the bloodsuckers. The Count and Ingrid will probably be asleep…divide and conquer, we take on Vlad alone. Stake the others while they sleep.”

“Excellent Robin, good work.” Jono said, opening his backpack to show him the UV cage that was stashed, unassuming in the largest pocket, “we’ll trap him with this.”

“There’s just one problem…” Robin said, rubbing his neck, “It looks like Vlad has a girlfriend, I can’t be sure whether she’s a vamp or not. She doesn’t look like a vampire exactly,” he whispered, “But if she _is_ a vampire she might cause a problem for us and if she isn’t…well I doubt Vlad would let her know that he plans of sucking the life out of her.”

“You’re right,” Jono said, “There’s an easy way of figuring this out,” he opened his bag and pulled out a garish set of orange sunglasses, “I’ll just see what heat signature she’s giving off, if she’s a vamp we’ll stake her as well along with Vlad…if she’s a human we’ll just have to make sure she doesn’t get in the way. She’ll thank us once she figures out what they are,” he placed the glasses upon his head, looking like a kid pulled straight out of the 80s. A few hidden laughs spread throughout the hallway as they looked at Jono. Robin hid his face from their glares, heat spreading across his cheeks.

“All right! But be quick about it, you look like a right nonce,” Robin said, rounding the corner to see Erin waiting along at the bottom of the antique stairwell. She was watching the crowd carefully, “That’s her over there, the blonde,” Robin hissed as her narrowed eyes met his, flicking over to Jono who stared at her opened mouthed.

“She’s a breather Robin, that’s disgusting!” he hissed wrenching the glasses off his face as they approached the girl.

“Hi Erin, this is Jono the one Vlad and I were talking about!” Robin said smiling, as he pushed his way through the crowd of students.

“So…” she said, there was steel in her voice, her arms cross across her body, “I knew this was too good to be true,” Robin felt his heart sink as the words escaped her mouth, he reached for the familiar pressure of the stake at his wrist, “You’re slayers.”

Robin felt as if he had been kicked in the stomach at the ice in her words, “How do you know?” Robin asked looking over at the agape Jono, who stood dumbfounded.

“Because of those damn glasses! Very subtle. But I’m one of you, I’ve been living with the Draculas for weeks now. What are you doing here?” She asked, standing tall as she looked over her shoulder to the staircase but there was a slight tremor in her voice as she spoke.

“Wait—” Jono interrupted, surging forwards towards the girl, “living with the Draculas? Why aren’t they dust yet?” he asked, staring at her as if he could see through her, searching for something within her.

“I need to find a cure,” she said, eyes glassy, “my brother was bitten by Ingrid and…I thought that killing the sire would…I thought it would cure him but…it’s not…it didn’t work out that way. The Draculas might know a way to cure him,” she spat out the words as if they stung.

Robin crossed his arms as he looked around feeling jumpy, “Wait, where’s Vlad?” the creature was not in sight and he couldn’t feel his cold presence within the air.

“He’s um…he’s making sure the house doesn’t look too ‘vampy’” she said smiling slightly, “I’m sure he’s struggling right now with all the cobwebs. So why are you here?”

Jono and Robin shared a look, the girl wasn’t to be trusted, but there was very little chance she hadn’t already guessed their intentions. She was confident, it oozed from her in waves as she watched them confer.

“We’re here to slay the Draculas,” Robin said, “What ever it takes,” he watched as the girl stiffed, hands find their way into her pockets as she stared them down.

“You can’t,” she said.

“And why not?” Jono asked, indignantly. Robin watched the veins in his forehead pop, “Any slayer would beg for the chance for this kill,” he seethed.

She worried her lip for a moment, “I- well,” she sighed, “look there’s…this book, the Praedictum Impaver. It’s…only Vlad can open it and it might have the information we need; you can’t kill them. It might be the key to ending vampires forever, the cure could be in there,” she looked down at her hands, “Please, I need to help my brother,” she begged, tears gathering in her eyes.

Robin felt himself melt a little at her words, at the hope in her voice that cracked his hardened heart. The way she spoke reminded him of himself before the Guild, when he stood at Jono’s door and begged for his help.

“Alright,” he whispered, clenching his fists. The knowledge of this book weighing heavily in his stomach.

“But Robin!” Jono protested.

“This book could wipe out all of the vampires, so we’ll do what we can to help you open it,” Robin said, placing a hand on Jono’s shoulder as Erin smiled, “Won’t we Jono? It’s what the guild would want us to do,” he said.

“How are we meant to help?” Jono said, his eyebrows pulled together as he looked between the two with distrust.

Erin smiled at that, a glint in her eyes, “Well you’ll just have to get Vlad to trust you. That might be a bit difficult for you, slayer but Robin…well it won’t be difficult for him to get close, see if he can get any more info about the book and just leave the rest to me. Agreed?” She asked in a way that implied there was only one correct answer.

Robin went to protest, he didn’t want to have to be around Vlad anymore than he had to, the thought made his skin crawl but Vlad rushed down the stairs a smile plastered across his face, “So…who’s ready for lunch?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think? Comment below :)


	4. Slayers Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Slayers are in the nest. But they discover some strange things about Vlad.

In the dank of the dining room the silence was deafening, the group sat below the simmering stare of Count Dracula, his brooding portrait hanging above his throne with watchful eyes. The light flickered around them from the fireplace, casting dancing shadows across the walls.

“Well this is…cosy,” Jono said, eyeing up the chandelier of antlers that hung above them.

“Yeah, I love what your dad’s done with the place, so true to his style. Very goth,” Robin said the whites of his teeth glowing in the light as he grinned.

Vlad thought of what the room had looked like about five minutes ago, full of bottles of _Chaumet Peasant_ from his father’s night of drinking to celebrate his return. Blood spilt like ink across the table, a few of his father’s trophies from fallen slayers strewn across the room. All remnants of The Count’s dramatic retelling of his previous battles with slayers, singing of his own spawn’s potential as a slayer killer, much to Vlad’s own chagrin.

“Yeah, he doesn’t change,” Vlad chuckled glad for his rushed clean-up of the room, “Renfield!” his voice echoing through the empty room.

There was a beat of silence as they waited for the arrival of Renfield, Vlad couldn’t force himself to meet anyone’s eyes. Rather he stared at his fingers, pulling at the skin around his nails wishing the chair beneath him would swallow him whole.

“So how has your first day of school at Garside been boys?” Erin asked the two boys in front of her.

As Jono opened his mouth to respond as Renfeild clattered into the room, garbed in his normal unkept attire, his scent assaulting the space as he held in his limp hand an unspecified grey-ish substance. “Yes, Master Vlad,” Renfield called as Vlad made his forehead and acquaintance with the table with a dull thud.

“Renfeild!” Erin said, “Could you sort us out some lunch please, we have _guests,_ ” Erin said staring at him as she pointed her head at the two boys, “Maybe just some ham and cheese?”

“Salad for me Renfeild,” Vlad mumbled from the table, looking up at the two boys in hopes they didn’t recognise him.

“Oh! You’ve got Breat—”

“Friends over Renfeild yes,” Vlad cut over him, giving him a hard look.

“Very good Master. I’ll bring those sandwiches out to you momentarily,” his voice grated against Vlad’s ears as he left the room, humming under his breath.

“Salad Vlad?” Jono asked, quirking his eyebrow at the boy.

“Yeah, I’m a vegetarian,” Vlad said, picking his head up off the table as he looked at the surprise on the boy’s face. He wasn’t sure how common vegetarianism was amongst breathers, but the stunned mullet look seemed like a bit of overkill. Not that he was particularly interested in the sandwich, but it was good to keep up the façade of virtue and eat something solid for once.

“Oh, that’s surprising,” Robin said, “Your family were a bunch of carnivores from what I can remember. Steak for dinner every night! How do you even cope?” He shook the hair out of his eyes, looking at Vlad, his dark eyes piercing.

Erin smiled at Vlad, putting her hand on his, sending warm butterflies fluttering within his stomach, “Well,” she said with a conspiratorial wink, “Vlad is really really stubborn.”

The laughter filled the room, and Vlad couldn’t help but feel content, the way that Robin smiled was so familiar, the lines on his face were ones he had mapped in his mind over and over again when he laid in his coffin. Jono sat smiling next to him, his eyes filled with mirth, this was something a younger version of himself wished for, just another friend to talk to, to fill the silences of the castle with.

“Hey now!” Vlad bumped into her shoulder, “That’s not fair, just because I have a stronger moral compass than you,” he smiled wrapping his arm around her.

“Hey! I’m a vegetarian too you doofus,” she said, giving him a light punch on the shoulder.

Renfield at that moment walked back in a tarnished silver platter in his hands, sandwiches pilled precariously high upon the plate, “Your sandwiches Master Vlad,” he said, bowing as he placed them upon the table.

“Thank you Renfield,” Vlad smiled grabbing his sandwich from the pile, it seemed that Renfield had gotten his silent plead for breather food. While the lettuce in his sandwich was wilted and the tomatoes seemed a bit dry it was passable. It had been Vlad’s idea a few months ago in case Ms. Macaulay ever dropped by for a meal.

Vlad bit into the sandwich, it was strange eating breather food, it wasn’t bad exactly, the texture was still there but it tasted like ash in his mouth and he wasn’t sure how long he had to chew it for. Looking around the table he noticed the eyes of Robin and Jono glued to him as he swallowed awkwardly.

“That looks horrible mate,” Robin said laughing as he bit into his sandwich, chewing loudly as Renfield left the room.

Jono didn’t pick up his sandwich, instead he sat still looking around the room with a critical eye, his breath condensing in front of him, despite the fire, the room itself was chilled. Vlad could hear his heart beating in his ears, thrumming with fear, it hung in the air like mist that swirled towards him in wonton circles, dancing under his nose as him mouth watered.

“You going to have some food Jono?” Erin asked looking towards Vlad as his face grew stony, his eyes locking onto Jono as his lips parted slightly.

“Oh I’m not hungry,” Jono said, smirking as he clapped his hands loudly snapping Vlad from his revere, as he tried to blink away the red that had bathed his vision, “But when we’re finished we should get a tour! The castle used to be filled with hidden passages that we used to play in as kids, right Vlad?”

“Right…” Vlad said, his head was fuzzy as if he had just awoken from sleep, disgust twisted in his stomach.

“Then it’s settled! A tour,” Jono said smiling as Vlad and Erin shared a panicked look. Vlad had only had the time to clean the dining room properly, there was not telling where the two boys might find in the other rooms.

“Uhh,” Vlad said feeling his tongue tie in knots, wishing that he was a good liar like Ingrid, “I don’t know if that is the be—”

“Vladimir!” A thunder voice blasted through the room, “I just had the most delectable chat with Ms. Macauley—oh it’s…you,” The Count flounced into the room looking towards the two boys he walked up the table leaning over Vlad shoulder like a shadow, he whispered into his ear, “You best spit that filthy breather food out of your mouth boy. Get them out of my house at once. I will not have them stinking up the place or would you like me to get rid of them for you?” The cool breath of his father tickled his ear, his remarks leaving him with a heavy feeling in his chest as if someone was kneeling on his ribs.

“Don’t you even dare,” Vlad whispered back, venom laced his words, tension settled heavily over the room like treacle, the breathers watched on.

“You’re trying my patience Vladimir,” The Count said standing as Vlad took another bite of his sandwich bearing with the unpleasant taste to watch his father’s face twist.

“We will be gone as soon as lunch is finished to you can get back to your important work dad,” Vlad said with a sardonic sharpness that cut through the tension in the room.

“Yes…we will discuss this later Vladimir,” The Count said, his face bathed in shadow as he frowned towards his son, rising to his full height as he spoke clearly, “Do not forget your training tonight, you are falling behind with all this,” he sneered, “socialising.” He turned with that and left the room, his coat flaring out behind him.

“Well that was pleasant,” Robin said, watching The Count leave, “But did you just tell him off Vlad? Well done mate, that was wicked!”

Vlad stared at the doorway where his father had disappeared through, Robin’s voice only just piercing the peripheries of his hearing, “Ah…yes—well no I didn’t tell him off. He just gets a bit…temperamental when he’s hungry and prefers to eat alone without other people around. The house has been pretty full recently.”

Robin raised his eyebrows at that, “Got more family members staying? Not your grandparents again? They were horrible!”

“No, no nothing like that. Erin is living with us at the moment and my tutor is here, as well as my mother’s son,” Vlad smiled wanly, “So there’s a few of us in here,” he looked around the empty rooms.

“Well where is everyone then?” Jono asked, into the silence of the house.

Vlad knew that was coming preparing himself for the lie, “I think Ingrid is out and my tutor sleeps during the day often as our training goes quite late and my half-brother is probably hanging around the kitchen,” he said, placing the rest of the sandwich back on his plate and pushing it away not wishing for any more of it in his mouth.

“Well then,” Robin said as he put the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth chewing as he dusted of his hand, “time for a tour I reckon, show us your room Vlad! I want to see if you still have those God-awful orange T-shirts from when we were kids,” he stood from his chair looking around the room.

“Uh…yeah sure,” Vlad’s mind thought of the coffin that sat in his room and Zoltan’s musty smell that permeated every crevasse of the space. His mind whirred thinking of ways to get them away from the room as they all stood, Erin glared at him from her seat shaking her head minutely. He didn’t want to test the mind wipe any further than his dad already had, it couldn’t be good for them if they were to faint again. He felt the concern coming off Erin in waves as she took Vlad’s hand as he stood, his steps robotic letting the fear he held calcify, he needed to think of a way to keep the boys out of the more damming rooms. “How about we look at the kitchen, visit Renfeild?” he asked hope worming into his voice.

“Nah,” Robin said, “I remember the way that Renfield keeps that kitchen, I would rather not see where our lunch came from thank you very much.”

“Right…Uh well I’ll show you the way,” Vlad tried to contain the nervous laughter as he dragged Erin into the hallway, Robin and Jono following at their heels, “What am I meant to do Erin?” he muttered towards her as their footsteps echoed through the empty corridor, the hanging spiderwebs catching in their hair in gossamer strands as they walked. 

Erin murmured back, “I don’t know Vlad, you’re the plans guy not me.”

* * *

Robin felt…conflicted, the way that Vlad held himself, the way that smiles touched his lips was so foreign to the cold images of vampires that frequently haunted his mind. He had eaten a sandwich for God’s sake! He had nearly laughed as he watched the flicker of disgust pass over Vlad’s face, it had been only a moment, nearly invisible to those who didn’t know what they were looking for, behind the façade of humanity that he wore like a mask. He was still a deceiver, he had caught the darking shadows that had gathered in Vlad’s eyes when he stared at Jono, his pupils blown into depthless pools. A face that whispered of hunger, that told of the dangers that laid within his pale form. In that moment he looked so much like Ingrid had that night so long ago, her eye as dark as pitch and unfathomably cold.

He followed the couple as they whispered to eachother, their words garbled in his ears, but the tone was clear: panic. He prepared himself, knowing that the room would show the truth that hid behind the curtain, the performance could come to a close right here if he wanted. A selfish part of him wanted this farce to be over and done with, that itched for revenge. His promise to Erin rung in his mind as he felt his finger twitch and call for Vlad’s dust that he couldn’t have just yet.

They reached a door and Vlad turned, a nervous twitch clutching at his eyebrow as his eyes lingered on Robin.

“This is my room,” he said, “it’s probably pretty different from what you remember at the castle I assume,” he was fiddling with the handle, “I—” he seemed to choke on his words for a moment, catching in his throat, “I…one second I’ve just realised I left it a mess. I don’t want you guys to have to—”

“Vlad!” Jono laughed but his eyes steady and guarded watching the creature like a shark, he smelt the blood in the water as Vlad fretted, “Don’t worry, we’ve all got messy rooms!”

He sighed as he opened the door, his back turned to them for a moment and his shoulders slumped over in what Robin could only assume to be defeat.

Vlad’s room was not what he had expected, it was dark that much was obvious. Shadows hid themselves in the corners of the room, chased away by the lamp that sat in the corner, waves of warm light emanating from it. But it was relatively normal, books and clothes strewn across the floor in messy piles. He looked around for a moment, even attempting to find any bright shade that reminded him of who Vlad used to be, all boxy and bright and young. But all that remained were shades of grey and black that filled the room. His eyes landed on what he had hoped to find but his heart dreaded, sitting in the middle of the room was a coffin more reminiscent of an Iron Maiden than any sort of bed. Its cool metal reflecting the warm light that warped in the semi-darkness, the coffin nearly eating away at the light.

“You dad still make you sleep in one of those?” Jono asked. Oh. Robin had been readying himself for a painful meeting with the floor but looked up confused to Jono who was pointing casually towards the coffin. Seems like they wouldn’t be doing that as Jono continued, “He really takes the goth this too far,” He swept over to the coffin, flicking the latches open with a dull thwack, “Mind if I look inside, always wanted to know what they looked like,” Jono said, looking over his shoulder causally towards Vlad, his fingers hovering over the last latch.

Robin, nearly felt sorry for the beast as he gawped like a fish at Jono, “Err sure…go ahead,” he said, and Jono undid the last latch opening the coffin to reveal an interior that looked more like a storage unit than a bed. It was quite likely that the undead didn’t move very much in their sleep, already existing within a realm of death that allowed them that unnatural stillness. But it didn’t look all that comfortable and would have definitely been too small for his larger frame, the metal that bent and twisted into the vague shape of Vlad’s body.

“How do you sleep in there?” Robin asked as he looked at the hesitant face of Vlad, his jaw set in a harsh line, the whites of his jawbone visible through his nearly translucent skin.

“Not well…I’m sure you can imagine,” Vlad said a hint of smile ghosting across his lips, “You used to beg me for one back in Stokely, remember Robin. Even before dad made me sleep in this one.” The familiar fondness in his voice made Robin feel as if ants were crawling across his skin.

“Yeah well…” Robin replied, looking down at his feet as Jono sent him a glare from behind Vlad’s back. He had conveniently forgotten to mention the past fact of his desperate wish to become a creature of the night like Vlad. Not that is wasn’t obvious with the cape, however Robin couldn’t blame Jono for being unobservant at that age. He quickly covered, “I’m glad I didn’t convince you then. Don’t think I would want to sleep in that.”

Vlad looked towards Erin, something hanging in his expression, he had seen something like this only once before, in his own mother’s face at Chloe’s funeral. A deep-seated grief that barely rose to the surface, held in the shadows of the face and the downturn of the mouth. It was gone in a flash as Vlad responded, “You and me both.”

There is was. Robin felt the air knocked out of him at Vlad’s words, the calcified layers that surrounded him cracking under the knowledge.

The trill of the bell broke the silence.

“Time to get to class I suppose,” Erin said, looking between the three boys.

* * *

The rest of the day passed in a blur of monotony for Vlad. His classes droned on as he waited for the final bell. Luckily neither Robin nor Jono had been in his final classes, so he stewed in his thoughts letting the miasma wash over him in waves of confusion and disgust. The coffin should have caused them to faint, they shouldn’t remember all these details of their lives together, or at least he thought. To forget vampires would mean to forget his father completely, his family should have been a distant untouchable thing for these breathers. They flounced into the school as if they owned it, opening his coffin, leaving their scent over his things like calling cards left to spite him.

He was going to have to talk to Bertrand about the specifics, Vlad was unsure of what the older vampire knew, seemingly holding endless amounts of knowledge. It was a risk, as Bertrand never expressed any sympathy for breathers, viewing them more as walking buffets than people themselves. There was no one else to turn to who knew about mind wipes other than his father, who was unlikely to do anything other than laugh in his face and offer to drain the boys for him.

The bell for the end of school rung and Vlad rushed through the corridors, hunting for Erin amongst the breathers that spilled from the classrooms. Amongst the gaggle of students, he spotted her shock of blonde hair, “Erin!” He yelled over the crowd, beckoning her to him.

“Hey Vlad,” she said, “are we going to meet up with Robin and Jono now?” looking around as if the two boys may just appear from nowhere.

“I think they need to go and see Ms. Macauley this afternoon to do some paperwork…I have to go and speak to Bertrand about the mind wipe,” Erin seemed surprised at this, shifting from foot to foot, “they should have fainted when they saw that coffin, something isn’t right. Can you…would you mind keeping an eye on them?” he pleaded.

Erin sighed, “Sure. Um Vlad, what if the mind wipe wears off? Is it really a bad thing?”

Vlad smiled, it was a sad thing that hung off his face like a rag, “Well, I’d had one best friend back but…a slayer in the school. Swings and roundabouts, I guess,” giving her a one-armed hug he walked away down the corridor, not looking forward to waking Bertrand up, who was legendarily grumpy when he was sleepy.

* * *

The conversation with Ms. Macauley was easy, she asked how they had found the school and their inane answers seemed to appease her as she signed the last of the paperwork.

“Well congratulations boys and welcome to Garside,” she said shaking each of their hands, “Oh and Jono, your mum asked me to tell you to meet her in the parking lot.”

“Cheers Ms. Macauley.”

They walked from the office, taking a few moments to find the carpark, keeping an eye out for a flash of pale skin or misplaced fang. The silhouette of Jono’s mum was caught in the last afternoon rays as she waited by the car, her hands planted on her hips.

“What did you find?” she asked with a stern lit, the charcoal suit she was wearing did nothing but heighten Robin’s respect for the imposing woman.

“Hi mum,” Jono said, unlike Robin he always looked slightly put off by the way she spoke to them, their relationship was closer, but she could not afford to give Jono special treatment when out in the field.

“Yes, hello Jono. Would you like to tell me what you two got up to today? I got no texts from either of you! I was worried sick!”

“I can tell you what they’ve been up to ma’am,” Robin felt his stomach sink at the voice that came from behind him. He turned to see Erin standing there watching the conversation.

“Ah I thought we may have come across you here,” Mina said as Jono looked at his shoes, scuffing them against the bitumen, “Erin Noble, trainee Slayer in the tactical division. We received information from the slayers guild that you were here with the Draculas,” the smile she sent was a wicked sharp one, cutting through the tension, “I heard what happened to your brother.”

Erin sent them a sideways glance as Robin felt his body lock in shock. “Do you know where he is?” She asked in desperation.

“No.”

Erin’s shoulders slumped towards the group. Robin felt himself twitch; Jono knew something.

“Did you know?” he rounded on the boy, who had the gall to look sheepish.

Mina gave him a sharp look, “We thought it best to not tell you Branaugh, considering your history with the Draculas.”

Robin felt his skin burn, the indignity of being kept in the dark was maddening, “Mrs. Van Helsing, I think I can handle myself. The Draculas have caused us all pain. I do not forget easily,” he drew himself up to his full height.

“I know Branaugh,” she brushed him off, “So why are the Draculas not dust? Or do we have to do everything around here?” her eyes bored into Erin; Robin couldn’t help but admire the girl’s strength to withstand the look that Mina shot her as she fingered the stake at her waist.

“Mum…Erin has been very helpful. Could you just…,” he sighed, “The Dracula’s have this book of prophesy, it holds all of the vampire secrets,” his voice only barely above a whisper as he scanned their surroundings.

“It’s true,” Erin said, “if you go crashing in now, they will destroy it. Don’t you think the Slayer’s Guild would want it’s information?”

“But how do we know we can trust you?” Mina asked, her interest was piqued.

“I could have turned you in the minute I knew you were faking, and I’ll tell you this—Vlad is already suspicious. He doesn’t know if the mind wipe is still in place and he will be keeping a good eye on these two,” pointing towards Robin and Jono, “If you were to go in their crossbows blazing, he would end you all. I’m your best bet at getting the information you need. This book could tell us how to destroy all vampires everywhere…do you really want to risk it?” Erin asked, her voice grave as her words settled over the group.

“Okay, you’ve got two weeks,” Mina said looking at the group, “I want you to put together a blueprint of the nest and see if you can get the location of the High Council out of Vlad, we have a division in the old country that is awaiting intelligence. If we were to uncover this…well, we would be heroes Miss Noble,” Mina said.

Robin felt like there was more to this conversation, he was happy to watch the two women battle for verbal dominance, speaking in half truths. He had seen that Vlad held true affection for the girl, or at least as much as a vampire could care for a breather. While he wasn’t sure whether it was reciprocated, it seemed that Vlad had protected Erin from the rest of his family. He knew how much true born vampires despised the ones they called ‘half-fangs,’ the prejudice rooted deeply within the traditions of the old country.

He couldn’t fathom such a deep betrayal of trust from the girl, she seemed too good. But he had thought that of Vlad so long ago, deep in the high country of Wales where things had been less complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys have enjoyed this so far. This story is probably not going to be canon compliant (sorry). As both the boys will be at the school which will change a lot of things for Vlad.


	5. I Found You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vlad talks to Bertrand about the nature of mind wipes and Robin questions the actions of a vampire.

Vlad’s ears caught something as he walked into the attic turned house, a shuffle of feet, the whisper of fabric. His father appeared behind him grasping at shoulder in the darkness, before he could jump back in surprise.

“Vlad, we might have a slight problem with Bertrand…” he said, over his shoulder.

Vlad raised a singular eyebrow, “Go on.” 

“I think he’s about to stake your sister,” his father said, a smile evident in his voice.

“Ah.” Vlad said as he flitted to the dining room, he could feel his father hot on his heels as he opened the door to reveal his sister tearing apart a pink tutu unaware of the stake that hung behind her. Bertrand clung to it as his head whipped up at the intrusion, confusion written across his face. Vlad pushed him into the wall with invisible hands, fury blooming in his chest as he surveyed the scene before him. Ingrid turned to the hanging pale figure of Bertrand as he fought helplessly against his invisible restraints, much to Vlad’s private pleasure.

“Let me down!” He yelled as he struggled, thrashing against the unseen hands that held him.

“Okay,” Vlad released him with a flick of the wrist, the older vampire tumbled to the floor with a dull thud.

“You’re getting good at that,” the pride in his father’s voice was evident as he sneered at the fallen form of Bertrand.

Vlad couldn’t help but agree, “Thanks to Bertrand,” he said and looked down at his tutor who watched the proceedings with caution, the stake far out of his reach.

“Wait…what’s going on?” Ingrid asked.

“I can explain—”

Vlad felt his anger flare for a moment, “Bertrand thought it would be a good idea to reduce you to a pile of ash, then frame the Van Helsings for it,” he said as he picked up the stake, the familiar Slayers Guild insignia emblazoned upon the pommel, “probably so I would go after them.”

“Hm good plan,” Ingrid shrugged waving the scissors in Bertrand’s direction, “except for the staking me bit.”

Vlad could feel his father’s glee from behind him, this little plan stunk of him. If Ingrid had truly been in danger Vlad doubted he would have done anything to save her. Misogyny ran just too deeply for the vampire, much to both of his children’s unhappiness.

“It wasn’t my idea,” Bertrand surged forward, indignant, “It was his,” he said pointing towards The Count.

“Is there no end to your conniving?” The Count asked, stepping forward with a flourish, as if he were some kind of soap actor, his cloak flying behind him with dramatic flair.

“Vlad you’ve got to believe me,” Bertrand pleaded, his voice was soft as he brushed the dust from the fall of his military jacket.

Vlad sadly knew what his father was doing here, Bertrand held no ill will against Ingrid, but it was best if his father believed he had won this little spat. It was time to put on a bit of a show, he placed a scowl on his face as he rounded on his tutor, “You know how I feel about the slayers! You have disobeyed me, if you ever go against my orders again, I will personally drive a stake through your heart!” He added as much iced steel to his voice as he could, in true Dracula style. Leaving him feeling greasy as he watched the face of his tutor fall.

The older vampire gulped, his eyes downcast as he nodded before leaving the room, his steps robotic.

“Impressive! You’re really growing into the role,” his father said, watching the retreating back of Bertrand.

“I better not find out you had anything to do with this,” Vlad allowed the threat to hang in the air as he turned to his father, searching his face for all the centuries worth of lies that were written across it.

The Count only smiled, “I’m your man through and through.”

“Yeah!” Ingrid rushed over, “Team Vlad,” she smiled, it was a foreign thing upon her face that made Vlad feel uncomfortable.

“Right…well I need to go and talk to our esteemed tutor about this. I’m sure you can keep Ingrid away from wayward stakes dad?” rolling his eyes as their antics, willing to file their behaviour away for later.

“Will do Vladdy! Go get him.”

Vlad left into the quiet hallways with a half salute to his father. There was no sign of Bertrand’s exit, no doors left ajar, so Vlad went to the only place he could think he may find the older man.

The training room.

He could tell Bertrand was upset, if the groaning of the punching bag was anything to go by and the swing of his mentor’s sword accompanied by wide graceful movements.

“Bertrand,” he called into room keeping his voice as light as possible. Vlad’s eyes met Bertrand’s dark ones as they stared at eachother across the dark space each assessing eachother. The creak of the metal rings above the bag was the only sound in the room. Vlad took a steadying breath, “I know it wasn’t your idea.”

Bertrand seemed to freeze for a moment, as he processed the information, “But then why did yo—”

“Yell at you?” Vlad responded, crossing his arms over his chest as he walked over, “Well I couldn’t let daddy dearest know I had figured him out. That wouldn’t be any fun now would it? Got to keep the Prince of Darkness on my side if we want to make a real change in the world.” He allowed a whip sharp smile to slice across his face, “But I am sorry for what I said. But you did try to stake my sister and while maybe a week ago I would have thanked you when I was…indisposed we can’t really be having that sort of still happening now. She is after all u family.” He looked over at the book that sat on the pedestal, nearly getting the sense it was watching this exchange through it’s empty pages, “So I would suggest, that in future just…come to me with your concerns. Don’t get involved with my father’s hairbrained schemes they just never seem to work when I’m around,” he forced his fangs to drop, feeling the shadows pass across his irises like mist, allowing that yawning space where the darkness lived to open up slightly, “Do I make myself clear?” his voice echoed throughout the room, speaking from the walls as if the air itself spoke of danger.

“Of course Vlad,” Bertrand nodded, “I won’t betray your trust again,” he held his sword at his side, standing nearly at attention, his dark eyes penetrating, “Why do I get the feeling that this isn’t really what you wanted to talk about?”

“Ah. Yes, there’s a little problem at the school that we might need to attend to. Do you know anything about mind wipes?” Vlad asked, sitting upon the ground, gesturing for his tutor to join him. Bertrand despite his stuffy exterior, proceeded to sit cross legged on the ground, his hands upon his knees as he watched the other vampire.

“I know about them. But why?”

“Well…when we left Stockley about four years ago I had to mind wipe a group of breathers, remove their memories of vampires. A few of them were slayers, but mostly I did it for their own protection. It was before my transformation of course, but under the extreme circumstances and the fact that I had on the Crown of Power well…let’s just say I had a little power boost that day,” Vlad looked at the floor, doodling patterns into the stonework as he spoke, “But…”

“But?” Bertrand asked, leaning in as he listened to Vlad, intrigue written across his face.

“But,” Vlad sighed, “some of the people that I mind wiped are at the school. It seems that they can’t access their memories, but something seems off. They saw my coffin and they didn’t faint. One of the boys was a slayer and he hated me when we were kids.”

“Well…” Bertrand ran a hand through his hair, his brow furrowed in thought, “this is powerful stuff Vlad and we’re not even sure of the extent of your powers. But what was the wording exactly? Do you remember? It could have influenced they could remember.”

Vlad thought back to the night where his world had tipped on its axis, it came in flashes, the power had consumed him shifted something deep within him like a key slipping into place. A cavernous emptiness had taken hold of him, wiping his mind completely clean of empathy, leaving compassion as only a distant memory. It had truly frightened him; a bone deep chill infected his body whenever he thought back to that night. He rarely thought about it, as it reminded him painfully of what he had lost. Normally it came to him in dreams leaving him gasping as he focused trying to catch the fading words that he had spoken.

Shaking himself from the past and schooling his expression Vlad looked towards the intense expression of his tutor, “I told them that vampires do not exist. That they would remember nothing of vampires,” he shuddered, watching as the man stood flitting towards the pile of dusty books that filled the back corners of the training room.

Bertrand picked through the books with practice ease, his eyes scanning the covers as Vlad watched on curiously. The vampire returned to his side, a large tome held in his hand, _The Mind and Might: A Guide for Vampires_ emblazoned across the cover.

“Did you care for these…breathers Vlad?” Bertrand said as he flicked through the book, the pages blurring before them he read.

“Well…”

“Do not be ashamed, while looked down upon by the Vampire High Council vampires have been known to love breathers from time to time,” Bertrand smiled towards the younger boy.

“Wait. You said care,” Vlad said eyes wide as he grabbed the book from Bertrand’s hands, his eyes skipping over the pages as a stone lodged itself in his throat.

“Well, it has to be a very strong care. Many would call that a kind of love but that doesn’t necessitate romance,” Bertrand shrugged, “I know how you feel towards breathers, I could not blame you.”

The world seemed to go strangely fuzzy for Vlad as he processed this, “So let’s just say I did care for some of the breathers. Does that mean it wouldn’t have worked?”

“I mean you were at the peak of your power Vlad. There is a chance that it worked or worked for a while but there is a high likelihood that the mind wipe after all these years…may no longer be in place,” Bertrand said, gently taking the book from the young vampire’s hand.

Vlad felt something break, just a little a resolve as his fists clenched without his meaning, his teeth grinding together to an invisible rhythm. A scream tore through his throat, lightening flashing across the sky as the walls shook around them. He did not heed the warning look Bertrand gave him across the space.

“So, he lied,” he hissed in barely contained anger, his insides boiling at the thought, “he must know.”

Bertrand jumped in front of the young vampire who began taking steps towards the door, “Not necessarily, but it is likely,” another rumble of thunder shook the room, “Vlad stop. You cannot just chase down a breather right now, despite how happy that would make the Regent. Think for a moment, why would they lie to you? If they know what you are, why keep it from you?” Bertrand placed a soothing hand upon the boy’s shoulder, staring into his eyes that had glazed over crimson.

Vlad closed his eyes, breathing in deeply despite the useless woosh in his lungs the habit calmed him slightly as the red receded from his vision. He placed a hand on Bertrand’s arm, “You’re right, thank you,” he extricated himself from his grasp, “I-I don’t know why Robin would lie. He came with Van Helsing but I never cared for the boy. He was a…” shock entered his system like a splash of cold water, “Oh _bats_ Van Helsing was a slayer!”

Bertrand’s shock was only given away by a single raised eyebrow, “You think the boy remembers?”

“Jono? Maybe,” Vlad tore at his hair, unable to stop the growl of frustration that rent his lips, “it’s possible he lied about his father.”

“His father?”

“Yes he died in an accident apparently but it’s just…too convenient,” Vlad said scrubbing his face with his hands, “Ingrid’s spree in Stokely lines up too well with his death, if Jono saw it—”

“It may have triggered his memories!” Bertrand jumped in, flicking through the book, “Yes, it says here, _a memory wipe is an effective measure for removing vampires from a breather’s memory. However, this memory wipe may be reversed or broken if the breather subject faces a further near-death experience by a vampire where the reality of vampires can not be denied.”_

“But that would mean that Ingrid would know if Jono remembered, she was there,” Vlad said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I do not think your sister would tell you either way. Unless it was somehow to her advantage,” Betrand said, a small smile flickering across his lips at the thought.

Vlad rolled his eyes as he listened to the older vampire give his sister a thinly veiled compliment, “Yes I get it. Ingrid is a proper vampire. But this could put her in danger, if Jono knows he could try to slay her.”

Bertrand snorted, “If this Jono knows then he’ll probably try to slay all of us. Not just Ingrid,” he closed the book with a thud, “But this raises two questions. You mentioned a Robin, who was not a slayer and you cared for him, a friend I assume. So why is he with the slayer? And two, why has the slayer not already come for our dust?” Bertrand asked arms wide as if inviting Jono just to pop into the room and come at him with a stake.

“I don’t know…Robin didn’t really like Jono when we were kids. But if I couldn’t mind wipe Robin for long because of our friendship,” Vlad felt his stomach lurch at the lie, “I would understand him coming to find me. We were each other’s only friends back in Stokely but I don’t understand him coming with Jono.”

Bertrand put the book away and slowly walked back to Vlad, thumbing at the sword at his belt, “You must admit it is suspicious Vlad. Is there a chance…” his stomach dropped into his feet, knowing what Bertrand would say next, “is there a chance that Robin could have switched sides?”

If Vlad’s heart could beat he was sure it would have stopped at those words, “No…I mean he would never, he loves vampires. Or he used to,” Vlad said as he felt his knees go weak, sinking to the ground Bertrand followed him down, sitting in from of him with a sympathetic smile.

“Vlad. You must understand…breathers and vampires. They cannot mix, your fantasies of harmony are just that—fantasy. Your friend Robin may have cared for you when you could masquerade as one of them but now, he will turn on you. If he remembers or not, he will eventually be unable to deny your biological oppositions. But if he has come with a slayer I think we both know what that means,” Bertrand could only place his hands on his knees and sigh as Vlad felt his heart tear within him at the thought of Robin wielding a stake. But the image was not completely unimaginable, it sat behind his eyes haunting him. Robin ate fourteen, his face twisted in hate directed towards him.

“So what do we do?” Vlad asked, making an attempt to subtly wipe the stray tear that rolled down his face at the thought of his lost friend.

“Well, we need to be sure that our suspicions are true. Not fainting at the sight of the coffin could have just been a missed connection in the brain and there is a possibility if slight that we have jumped to conclusions. Or they made a serious mistake, hoping to build your trust and get more access to the house possibly,” Vlad nodded as his tutor spoke, “We may need to try and see if we can get the truth out of Ingrid, it is not my place to get into your family dramas but it seems that Ingrid has been quite tight lipped about what happened in Stokley eh? If she confirms our suspicions, then we will have more evidence to suggest that they are slayers.” The older vampire stood, pacing around the room, “Then we will need to figure out what they want. Slayers are not well known for not coming into a situation crossbows blazing.”

“So we…go along with it?” Vlad asked, looking towards the familiar sight of his tutor deep in thought, head held in his hands.

“Yes. It is the only thing we can do. There may be more at play here and we would be at a distinct disadvantage if we were to kill them. The Slayers Guild may come down upon us to exact revenge and we are not ready for that kind of assault.” Bertrand sighed walking towards the book that had dragged him to the Draculas, it’s blank pages mocking the two who stood before it, “You may need to speak to Ingrid but not now, we cannot arise her suspicion. She is plotting, let her do her scheming for a while, build up trust with her then we will see what we can find out about her little bloodbath,” Vlad was reminded that Bertrand was truly a evil creature, despite the calm exterior and while Ingrid plotted, Bertrand built strategy with barely a snarl.

“What about the breathers?” Vlad spat with venom, the sting of probable betrayal still laying heavy upon him. He walked towards the punching back running his fingertips over it feeling the harsh hessian under his fingers, just trying to keep his hands busy as his mind ran away with vampiric fantasies that he struggled to block out completely.

“You will have to pretend you have no suspicions but keep them away from the house as much as you can. It is best that they cannot get a layout of the rooms or lay traps,” Bertrand steepled his fingers, “See if they reveal themselves, let them ask questions but give nothing away…unless it is unavoidable. If they try anything well…we will cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“I feel like we’re playing a game of cat and mouse,” Vlad said with a chuckle.

Bertrand hummed a bit at that looking towards Vlad, “Think of it like chess, we need to be careful and think many moves ahead. But it is best not to dwell too much on the possibility of slayers in our midst Vlad. Come, we still have training to do and you can mourn the loss of possible a friend on your own time. Remember that we can’t be certain,” he said, placing his sword upon the ground the older vampire took off his stiff jacket and bent into a defensive position.

Vlad rolled his eyes at the older vampire, understanding that this was only a way to distract himself, all the Draculas were well known for being unnecessarily maudlin if they could help it and Bertrand was an expert at pulling it out of him. He allowed his fangs to lower and he felt himself coil like a spring before he jumped towards the older creature hissing.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dinner was an awkward affair.

Robin could admit that.

The mechanical chewing was maddeningly loud as the three sat in a non-descript motel room, brown paper bags strewn across the table.

“So,” Mina said putting down her knife and fork, “Boys, we need to talk about a game plan here.”

Robin’s chest constricted at the thought as he looked across the table at the other two slayers, “I think Erin made it pretty clear that the Draculas don’t trust us and that Vlad may have tacked on to the fact that we were faking it.”

“I think that girl is lying,” Jono said around a piece of chicken, “If she really wanted to help us and if she really was a dedicated slayer the Draculas would be dust by now.”

Mina nodded, “Yes. I don’t think we can trust the girl. Especially around vampires as powerful as the Draculas. For all we know she could have been hypnotised to trick us into complacency. We need to be ready and we need to scope the place out. We will use the girl, but we can’t rely on her. It’s too risky.” Mina continued to eat, methodically cutting into her dish of curry and rice.

“So we keep up the guise of being friends with the biter, get the layout of the house and find this book,” Jono said, “Then we stake the vamps after, no problems. We’ll keep Erin out of it as much as possible in case she says anything to her _boyfriend,”_ he wiped his mouth with a napkin, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied sigh.

“But…” Robin hedged, “Her brother is about to be turned, wouldn’t she most likely work with us.”

He noticed the flicker between the mother and son, as if they were silently communicating, Jono sighed a frown marring his face, “He’s turned already, we’re keeping him at the Guild.”

Annoyance roared within him, “And you were planning on telling me this when exactly?”

Mina shot him a glare, “You weren’t privy to that information. We have him only if and when Erin returns to the Guild. She will need to prove her salt, nothing more.”

Robin felt sick, his stomach rolling and looking down at his food it was suddenly unappetizing, “You’re going to get her to stake her own brother…”

“When the time comes, yes of course,” Mina kept eating, completely unperturbed.

Robin stood from his chair, it clattered to the ground behind him, “But that’s barbaric!”

Mina looked up at him, her face completely slack, uncaring for his outburst, “There is no brother. He is a vampire; their only use is for stake practice. Do not get soft here Robin or you are off the mission and you can head back to the Guild for basic training and a reassignment.”

Robin looked aghast between the two, Mina seemed calm, but he could see Jono was holding his fork with a white-knuckle grip, “Got anything to say Jono?”

“Mum’s right,” Jono said with an apologetic smile, “After a vampire turns, they’re no longer who they used to be and not worth our mercy,” there was a stiltedness just below the surface but it was obvious that he was not planning on defending Robin in this argument.

“Right. Well, it looks like I’ve lost my appetite,” Robin picked up the chair behind him, tucking it back into place, “I think I might go to bed.”

Robin turned before either could protest and left the room, his whole body stiff as he threw himself upon the bed. He was a mess and he knew it; it was as if he was being tied up in knots and then unknotted again, unraveling in the dark—he hadn’t even bothered to turn on the light. Seeing the face of his best friend so pale, paler than he had once been, his hair as dark as night hanging around his eyes. He hadn’t been able to find a cure and now he was lost. If he had not left, if he hadn’t made him forget maybe they would have found something together. He could have made his friend’s dream come true and kept him all to himself, he would not have suffered from the years of loneliness and pain that the young Dracula boy had created.

His best friend was dead, or at least deeply buried in stasis within the body of a vampire. He knew there were differences between born and bitten vampires, Vlad had told him once long ago that a bitten vampire was less able to control their urges, they were more wild and vengeful due to their undead curse. It was possible that what was once Vlad had more control than those who were created instead of born, that must have been how the creature attended school.

It made very little sense to Robin, who laid in his bed, curled on his side as to why Vlad would bother going to school at all, it wasn’t like vampires needed to learn Pythagorean theorems or know how cyclones are created. Vlad had once basked in the concept of school, much to a younger Robin’s chagrin, enjoying the homework that was set, just for the thrill of being a normal kid. Robin had always thought that no _normal_ kid would like homework anyways. From what Robin could tell asking about, it seemed Vlad had been at the school a while and was very withdrawn, seen as an attractive but unattainable boy. Not something that many vampires would not allow, many too vain to stay out of the spotlight for long, much like Ingrid had been at Stokely, always looking for popularity.

There was something wrong in this picture, there was something wrong at Garside. There was a nest of vampires but no bitten necks in sight. Vlad had defended Jono and himself when The Count had tried to bite them, he had led them into his home. He looked on the verge of tears when he had spoken about Chloe, genuine shock painted across his face. Vampires were well known for their ability to manipulate, to deceive and create emotions from nothing. But there was a traitorous part of himself that couldn’t believe Vlad, or at least what was left of Vlad would do something like that.

He needed to know more, he needed proof that Vlad was gone that he, much like Chloe, had died and left him to avenge them.

Rolling over he went to go brush his teeth. Knowing the next day of school was going to be painful. In such close proximity to everything he had lost, held mockingly within the body of a creature that would like to do nothing better than drain him dry, Robin felt more lonely than he ever had in Stokely. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I just finished season 5 and I have some ideas for this fanfic when it gets to that point! So that's exciting. I hope you're all staying safe at home and eating some of your favourite foods!
> 
> Please comment your thoughts if you have any! 
> 
> I'm really trying to keep the characters as canon as possible! I hope I'm getting the right mix of Dark(ish) Vlad. 
> 
> Ta ta for now!


	6. High Stakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tension is rising in Garside Grange, suspicion is lurking in the shadows and secrets start to come to light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you're all well! Welcome to the 6th chapter! I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!

“There’s writing!” Vlad exclaimed running into the training room as the Praedictum Impaver fell open before Erin. It’s old crumbling pages exposed to the dull light of the fire that burned the sconces that surrounded them.

“I told you I had something to show you,” Erin replied with a smile holing up the bag of blood that splashed within her hand. The sight, much to Vlad’s shame caused his mouth to water, he forced himself to look away towards the book instead, hiding his darkening eyes within their aged pages. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, a small pinprick of hurt lanced through him.

“Because I was worried, I wasn’t sure if the right Vlad had come back, but I think the right one has,” Erin said with a smile that alleviated some of the guilt that had settled itself in his chest.

He looked down at the book again, running his fingers over the pages to hide his smile, “It’s some kind of ancient language.”

“Can you read it?” Erin asked. 

“I can barely get my head around French,” Vlad said, stepping back in shock as Erin brandished some scissors, cutting into plastic of the blood bag with gusto. The smell hit him full force and he took another step back eyeing the dark liquid as she poured it onto the page feeling his fangs press against his lips. A small part of him howled at the waste of fresh blood but he watched as the pages stayed completely dry and completely empty.

“Is that what you did last time?” Vlad asked, not masking the smile that danced across his lips at the mess she had made.

“No, last time one of the bones knicked me and some of my blood dropped on the page. Then it started filling out like ink,” she said, eyeing the page in confusion as her hand drifted over to the sharp bones of the book that danced in anticipation.

Knowing what she was planning Vlad grabbed her wrist, “Don’t!” he said. 

Erin pulled herself from Vlad’s grip annoyance lacing her voice, “I have to! There might be a cure in there for Ryan.”

He held his hands up to placate her, “Just think about this for a second. I want to know what’s in there as much as you do but we can’t mess around with these things.”

“I’m not going to just sit around and just wai—"

Vlad felt a small stab of annoyance as Erin continued to fight him, “I’ll find dad or Bertrand, they’ll know how to read it. If there’s anything to help your brother, I’ll find you and tell you everything.”

Erin seemed slightly more appeased, removing her hand from in front of the bones, “Promise?”

“Promise,” Vlad said, looking about at the mess that looked more like a crime scene than a training room, “Better get a mop,” he could help but laugh at the embarrassed look that flittered across Erin’s face.

“Ah right. Yes,” she ran from the room to find the offending tools, leaving Vlad alone with the book it’s browning bones still twitching in the air. He looked around the empty room, feeling the pull of the blood that lay upon the floor in splatters. He rushed away from it to the other side of the room, watching the glinting reflections in the dark pool, hypnotised by its macabre beauty. He held his breath waiting for Erin to return, schooling his features as her tell tail steps upon the stonework met his ears, “Got it!” she yelled from the corridor.

He didn’t want her to see him so tempted by the blood, she thought that he was the right Vlad, that he had fought hard against his reflections and it was in some ways true. But those reflections were apart of him, not something hidden behind a door in his mind like he once had, the door was blown wide open and his reflections were now melded into his psyche. They weren’t something that he could ignore, they were as much a part of him as his limbs, possibly even more so.

“Good work! Let’s get this cleaned up and I’ll get Bertrand and Dad. I’ve got a free period first up,” Vlad said as Erin handed him a mop and they got to work, Vlad held his breath as the blood smeared across the stone, the mops soaping up the ruby sea slowly, turning their white heads red.

“Right!” Erin said as she looked down at the clean stone, “I think that’s enough, go get Bertrand and your dad and let me know if you find anything!”

“Will do,” Vlad said as he was brought in for a quick hug.

“I’ll clean these up,” Erin took the mop from Vlad’s hand, which he was thankful for and disappeared.

* * *

Robin and Jono walked into the school grounds once more, looking around at the crowds that jostled for space. Robin was steadfastly ignoring the shorter boy, the flip of his stomach leaving him with very little to say anyway.

“Robin about last night…” Jono started.

Robin looked away, “I don’t want to hear it.”

“You need to understand,” Jono said grabbing his arm and forcibly turning him to face Jono, “That you can’t be soft. Not here. Not as a slayer,” his voice was desperate and low, in an attempt to avoid being overheard.

“I think you need to understand how cruel your plan is! You can’t just…he may not be her brother anymore, but he still wears the face. Imagine turning your mother to dust, even if she was a vamp. Do you think you could do it?”

Jono sighed scrubbing his face with his hand, “I think I could…but I don’t know. Look I know it’s not standard procedure but we need to make sure that she hasn’t turned on us Robin. Do you understand?”

“I understand but I’m not sure I agree,” Robin said begrudgingly as they made their way towards their lockers.

Jono huffed angrily, his mouth pulling into a frown, “I knew you weren’t ready for this.”

Robin turned on the boy, slamming his locker closed, “Oh did give me that load of bollocks! You know I’m ready, just because I don’t want to be as bad as them by forcing someone to do something so horrible!”

“Hey guys!” both boys jumped as Erin sauntered up behind them, her eyes alight with mischief, “Trouble in paradise?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Robin laughed, “Shove off Erin,” giving her a light push in the shoulder shoving his textbooks into his back, “We were just having a heated discussion about which crossbows we liked best,” the lie slid easily off his tongue, leaving him feeling greasy. They knowledge of her fate squirmed in his mind painfully.

“Ah, I see,” she said, “Well I have some news actually about the book” Robin was surprised, the girl moved fast apparently.

“And what is this news?” Jono said, crossing his arms his eyebrows raised, probably thinking something very similar to Robin.

“There’s writing in the book! I discovered it last night,” she said beaming, her blue eyes alight. Robin himself felt something akin to happiness bloom in his chest at the sight of Erin smiling. He understood how she felt, wishing to get her family back was probably all that crowded her mind at the moment.

“That’s brill Erin! How’d you do that?” he asked, “What does it say?”

Her face fell at that, as look of unease flashed across her face, “I accidentally got some of my blood on it and the book just started writing itself, but I don’t know what it says. Vlad is getting Bertrand or his dad to translate it. It’s in some ancient language.”

“Wait you told them? After you split blood on it? You’re just painting a target on your back. They’ll drain you dry for what’s in that book!” Jono exclaimed; a frown etched across his face causing Robin to roll his eyes.

“Just ignore him,” Robin said smiling towards Erin, “This is brilliant news, hopefully we can find something to help your brother,” he gave a pointed look to Jono behind her back, who at least had the decency to look ashamed.

“Talking about vampires, is Vlad not coming to school today?” Jono asked, looking out the rain spattered window to the heavily clouded sky awash with grey.

Erin started at his words, pulling at her sleeves on her jacket, “He’s just got a free period, I assume they’re translating the book right now,” she said as the bell rung, trilling through the hallways, “Need help finding your classes boys?” Robin handed her his timetable eagerly, the edged of the paper already stained with food and crinkled, she looked down at it laughing, “Looks like we have class together Robin and Jono looks like you’ve got advanced maths you clever cookie.” She handed them both back their timetables, “We’ll drop you off at your class if you want Jono?” she said.

“Nah I think I can find it.” Jono said gruffly, turning away from the two and disappearing into the crowd.

“What’s his problem?” She asked watching as the boy walked away.

Robin shrugged feeling suddenly tired, “He’s just an arse sometimes,” he said as the two walked to their class.

The silence that encompassed them wasn’t awkward but companionable, Robin couldn’t help but think about what the future had in store for the girl.

“So why did you become a slayer if you used to be friends with Vlad?” she asked suddenly, her eyes wide with surprise as if she didn’t expect the words to pop out.

Robin felt the weight on his shoulder grow even heavier at her words, the world darkening ever so slightly around him, “It’s…a long story,” he sighed.

She smiled knocking into him, “I get it,” she sighed, “Just know that you can talk to me, slayer to slayer,” she winked as the waltzed into woodwork.

* * *

“I swear there’s writing in it!” Vlad exclaimed, Bertrand and The Count were hot on his heels as they walked into the training room. It had not been difficult to get the older vampires into the room together, despite the simmering dislike between the two. At the mention of the hidden power within the book’s aged papers, they both had come running.

“This is Aramaic,” Bertrand said, leaning over the book, staring intensely into its pages as if willing it to impart secret knowledge upon him.

The Count swooped over, standing between Bertrand and Vlad, “This is incredible! Vlad you’ve done it!”

Vlad felt that familiar rush of annoyance at his father’s praise for achieving anything close to vampiric, “Can you read it?” Vlad asked, looking towards his father.

“Of course I can!” He said, tilting over the book scanning the words that seemed more of scrawl than and actual language to Vlad, “Actually, it looked like I’ve forgotten my reading glasses…Bertrand can do the honours.”

Vlad barely hid the roll of his eyes from his father as Bertrand took a hold of the book looking at the red scrawl before him, “It’s tricky some of these words don’t even have a modern equivalent…”

Vlad crossed his arms, “Summarise,” he said.

Bertrand looked at Vlad for a moment, his eyes searching before he turned back to the book, “Okay… _Hear them, the testament of the great and powerful Sethius, Lord High Vampire, first among equals, Destoryer of…”_ he turned the page but it was void, that laughed at their ignorance and their petty attempts at power. It was playing with them. Vlad knew that they were going to need more blood for the ritual, and it was going to have to be fresh from the looks of it. Ancient vampires always had to go ahead and make things difficult; it was just their way. The thought made his stomach turn, what would a younger Vlad think of him now, even considering spilling innocent blood just for the sake of unlocking hidden ancient power?

“Sethius!” his father exclaimed, “I know that name. I must consult my records,” he was gone in a flash, exited the room with the familiar displacement of air, his body a blur.

Bertrand turned to him, placing a cold hand on his shoulder, “It’s working,” the excitement rang clearly in his voice nearly swimming off him in waves, “The good stuff is yet to come you’ll see,” a smile flittered across his face, “Maybe it will tell us more about mind wipes?” he said with an unbelieving laugh, “Just think about the power we could find with book. I need to do some research. Get to class and keep an eye on those breather friends of yours.”

Vlad watched his tutor leave as the bell rung. He trudged up the stairs towards the school dragging his feet as he felt a heavy weight settle across his shoulders. There was a burning deep in his mind, the thoughts of harnessing power from this book seemed wrong, nothing good could come from a vampire whose titled involved _Destroyer of_ no matter what his father thought.

The school halls were busy as students made their way to their next class the sounds of their voices clattered against Vlad’s sensitive ears nearly causing him to wince at the shrieks of the younger students. Vlad rushed through the crowd hoping that he could get Erin alone to tell her about the writing in the book. Feeling the weight of his promise to her heavily within his chest, he knew how difficult it was for her to resist uncovering the knowledge could save her brother.

However, their next class together was history which meant Robin would also be there, talking about an ancient vampiric power seemed a little too conspicuous for the reformed vampire lover. Vlad walked the hall, thankful for the cloud cover that allowed him rush past the students without being overly cautious.

He caught a shock of blonde hair and rushed over to the pair. The sight of Robin managed to knock the wind out of him, the reality of his best friend standing right in from of him left him as lightheaded as yesterday. He vaguely wondered if he had somehow stepped into a dream, that familiar feeling of sparkling fizz began in his stomach at the sight of Robin’s smile before reality crashed down upon him. This was the boy who was likely lying to him, who probably knew he was a vampire and had come here with a slayer. A boy who could be stashing stakes all over his body without his knowledge.

“Hey guys!” he said, hoping that the pained look on his face had dissipated at the two whipped around, jumping slightly and he cringed.

“You need to stop sneaking up on people Vlad!” Erin admonished hitting his arm with a smile, “Coming to history with us? Or planning on ditching again?”

Laughter bubbled up from his chest, “You know I had a free Erin, no need to get jealous. Actually, I need to talk to you for a moment alone. Is that okay Robin?” he asked, hoping to not offend the boy but not willing to say what he needed to in front of him.

Robin’s face noticeably fell for a split second, before he puzzled a smile together, “Sure no worries mate. I’ll just wait here.”

“Thanks, won’t be a tick!” Vlad said pulling Erin out of earshot and down an abandoned hallway.

“What was that about?” Erin hissed, looking back at Robin who seemed a little lost in the crowd.

“The book Erin! You know the one that you poured blood all over this morning?” Vlad said looking around at the passing students, smirking at Erin.

“Hey! It was a good idea! But yes, I remember, go on tell me what it said,” she was barely containing her excitement, her hands fisting in her jacket.

“Bertrand said it’s written by a guy called Sethius,” Erin gave him a confused look, “Dad’s researching the name now,”

Erin crossed her arms, “How do you know Bertrand’s giving you the true translation? He’s obsessed with the book he could be keeping the knowledge for himself,” distrust coloured her voice as she peered at Vlad.

Vlad felt a little hurt on Bertrand’s behalf, thinking of the older vampire’s loyalty he said, “The only thing Bertrand is concerned about is getting me to fulfil my full potential as the Chosen One, but you’re right I shouldn’t rely on him,” he acquiesced with a nod, “I’ll start learning Aramaic,” the thought of learning some long dead language did not instill any excitement into his bones.

Erin smiled at that, “In the meantime I can get it to fill out some more!”

Vlad felt panic rise within him at the thought, “No way!”

Erin’s brow creased in annoyance, “It’s not going to fill out by itself,” her voice caught in her throat, “Ryan doesn’t have time you didn’t see him Vlad, he’s only days away from becoming a full-blown vampire.”

Vlad felt his heart melt a little at the thought, “I know, I know,” he said pulling her into a hug, resting his chin on top of her head.

He couldn’t help but wonder what this meant for their relationship, it seemed that Erin hated his kind, what vampirism was doing to her brother and he understood that she viewed him as an exception to the rule. Someone who denied their nature and it hurt in a small secret part of himself Erin despised his kind. He knew that many had the potential to become more empathetic with time and understanding. Or at least he hoped they did.

“I can’t lose him I won’t,” she whispered.

Vlad felt the words form on his lips before he gave them permission to leave his mouth, “If there’s anything in that book I will find it, trust me,” internally he kicked himself, he couldn’t promise that. That was assuming that the book only took fresh blood, but he couldn’t be sure how much and if there were any potential side effects. He couldn’t put it past an ancient and most likely blood thirsty vampire to curse the bones.

Erin looked up at him with a watery smile, wiping her eyes, “Thanks Vlad…we should probably get back to Robin,” she said, removing herself from the hug leaving him colder than he had felt before as he looked back towards the boy.

“You’re right let’s go.”

The two wandered back over to Robin who looked thankful to have his company return, “If you two lovebirds are done. I’d like to get to history before we’re late,” he said with a grin smeared with cheek.

Something twisted in his stomach at the words, watching the easy smile float across Robin’s face, he couldn’t help but feel something niggling at him as they walked to class. Vlad keeping decidedly quiet, not wanting to offend Erin.

Class was quick and relatively painless; the Crusades were an interesting topic something his father always enjoyed talking about, so it wasn’t like he was learning anything very new. He couldn’t help but sneak glances at Robin during the class, watching the way he bit his tongue as he concentrated and flipped his pencil between his nimble fingers.

The bell rang and they were set free for lunch. This time he steadfastly refused Robin’s requests to return to his home for lunch, knowing that both his father and Bertrand would be awake frantically researching.

The trio walked instead to the canteen meeting up with Jono on the way, who seemed quite grey after his class barely making eye contact with the others.

The school itself buzzed with the usual lunch rush and Vlad made sure to keep himself in check, the uncomfortable itch where his lungs sat uselessly was a small price to pay for subduing his bloodlust.

A yelp came from his left, Robin seemed to have seen a ghost, his eyes wide as he looked ahead. Vlad’s eyes found Ingrid who sat in the entrance hall staring at the group, a singular perfectly plucked eyebrow rose just slightly as she smiled, all her teeth bared without a fang in sight thankfully.

“You guys go ahead, it looks like my sister wants to talk to me,” he mumbled to the group, shooing them off to the canteen, “Don’t worry…I’ll catch up with you guys.”

Vlad noticed that Jono and Robin stared at her as they passed, giving her a wide berth. Ingrid just watched them a small smile playing at her lips. They didn’t lung for her, murder written across their lips, which was a good sign. He didn’t want to tear up a fight in the middle of the school, that would be quiet revealing. He watched the humans disappear into the crowd, melding in with the other uniforms.

Ingrid beckoned him over with a perfectly manicured hand. He made sure to miss the streaming of sunlight that had broken the cloud bank leaving a golden and impassable passaged within the shadows of the room. He felt suspicion settle itself in his mind, clawing at his brain as he watched his sister cautiously, waiting for her to speak.

“See you’ve got a little breather crew together,” she said with a smile, flipping her hair out of her eyes.

Again, annoyance blazed within him at the way that Ingrid spoke about humans. He felt his fists clench around his shoulder bag, “What’s up Ingrid?”

She looked over his shoulder for a moment, stepping slightly back, away from the light he assumed, as she spoke, “I should have said this early and I’m sorry that I didn’t but…thanks.”

“What for?” Vlad said in confusion, his eyebrows knitting together. He would need to write this moment down in the history books somewhere _Ingrid Dracula says thank you._

“For stopping Bertrand staking me,” Vlad had nearly forgotten about that little mishap already, the night’s events had disappeared under his worry about possible slayers and the Praedictum Impaver’s secrets.

Ingrid’s eyes were wide as she looked at him, “How’s it going with him?”

Her concern for him was disconcerting and he felt himself trip on his words as he spoke, “I can handle it.”

“I-I hope that one day I can do the same for you,” Ingrid said, “You know…protect you.”

Vlad’s heart swelled, the possibility of forging a stronger relationship between him and his sister was too much of a temptation for him to miss out on, despite how many times he had been burned, “Uh thanks Ingrid, I have to get to lunch now but maybe we could talk tonight? We…we haven’t really spoken much, and I want to catch up,” he was surprised by the truth in his words and it seemed that Ingrid was too by the way her jaw dropped.

“Err sure Vlad,” she said, her voice low as she looked at her feet, there was something off about her, but Vlad just put it down to shock.

“Alright, I’ll see you later.”

* * *

“Hey Erin, I’m just going to run to the bathroom. I’ll meet you two at the canteen?” Robin said, ignoring the fiery look that Jono was giving him. Surely unhappy at being left with someone he deemed untrustworthy.

“Sure! See you there,” Erin gave him a strange look, her eyebrow quirked but still she turned around and followed the crowd.

Robin felt slightly guilty for the betrayal as he walked into the toilet, waiting for a moment before he was sure Erin wouldn’t see him before spinning around and walking back to where he knew Ingrid and Vlad were.

It had taken all his being not to stake the witch when he saw her, in a school uniform no less. She had always hated interacting with humans, even before she had transformed, and it had shocked him to see her in a school again. A mass murderer in a school. She had seemed too calm in his presence, obviously unaware of his slayer status, but the way her ghostly eyes had pierced his flesh as he quashed every instinct to walk past her had rattled him to the bone. She was a stone wall, not even a hint of remorse played across her face at the sight of him. While her face alone plunged him into the memories of Chloe’s final minutes leaving him burning for revenge.

As he walked, fingers touching his stake, he thought of Erin, keeping in mind that her sibling still had a chance, that he owed it to her to hold off at least for a little while. To find the cure.

He saw the siblings ahead, talking right next to a moat of sunlight, he couldn’t help the scoff that escaped his throat at the arrogance of it all as they both flirted with danger. Obviously believing there to be no threat.

Vlad’s back was to him, but he made sure to blend in with the swelling crowd as he watched the two, leaning against the hallway wall.

Robin noticed the tense way that Vlad held himself, the muscles across his back as taut as a bowstring. Ingrid was talking as if she had no care, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder smiling as she spoke. He couldn’t make out the conversation but from the glint in Ingrid’s eye it couldn’t be anything good.

A girl stalked towards the two, he hadn’t seen her around school before, but he hadn’t really met anyone outside of his classes. He paid her very little mind to the girl as he strained to catch the conversation over the chatter of students.

Something caught his eye in the rapidly approaching girl’s hand, it was a familiar shape and for a split second he thought he must be dreaming as the girl raised a stake to Vlad’s back, Ingrid smiling all the while. He watched on with sickening fascination as the stake arched gracefully towards the vampire’s back. A small part of him was horrified wishing to cry out for his lost friend, but he quashed it under his heel knowing that to call out would mean his own death at the hand of Ingrid.

Robin felt himself start as the girl stepped into the light and with little fanfare she turned to dust, her remnants floating to the ground in grey eddies. Vlad being none the wiser as he continued to talk to Ingrid. Lurching back, Robin turned and walked back down the hallway towards the cafeteria keeping himself balanced against the wall, sickness churning in his stomach and he palms sweating. He made sure to keep his steps controlled and his breathing as even as possible, despite the scream of his body that begged for him to run.

As he walked, he realised two things:

One: Ingrid had created more vampires than just the ones at Stokely and was trying to dust Vlad.

Two: He didn’t want Vlad to die. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the end of this chapter! Poor Vlad and Robin! I want to get more interaction between them but make it a natural progression which seems to be more of a slow build at the moment. Vlad will just shoot him longing looks for a while in class and just all around be a bit of a dork. 
> 
> What do you guys think about Erin? I feel like she got it pretty bad in the series and I wasn't a massive fan of hers but they really did her dirty! So I'm trying to do her some justice and make her more of an active player. I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter...it should be good development for her character if ya'll remember what happens in the show you'll know what I'm talking about.
> 
> Anyways see you next chapter! Send a comment with your thoughts!


	7. Revelries and Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jono and Robin make promises to each other in this nest. Vlad's worst nightmare are realised and he can't help but feel like he should have known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a super QUICK update. But honestly, I feel like this story is consuming me. Let me know what you think! This is the longest chapter yet! 
> 
> This is a pretty Vlad heavy chapter which I hope you enjoy. I think Young Dracula is the only story where the protagonist is my favourite character! 
> 
> Enjoy!

The lunch hall was full of laughter, smiles blinding as students gathered together in herds whispering over their plates. Yells and titters of laughter coalescing in a symphony of humanity. He knew the whispers that followed him in the school, not bothered by them, they kept the breathers safe from him, what he could do if he even gave in for a moment. The temptation was always there, lurking under his skin like a fiery itch, licking down his throat.

It made him sick.

Vlad felt alien as he walked through the room, a disjointed sensation that struck him in the chest with a hammer leaving each limb slightly numb. Even when he had been completely isolated with only his father for company those years ago it was not like this, at least back then there was nothing to compare his existence. There had been no bright burning light of humanity to sear his skin on in the darkness of his coffin. Nothing to want, if he could not see it and feel it in front of him. His humanity had lost itself within the dust moats of his seclusion, within the walls of his house and the sing of blood in his ears. As he walked over, he noticed Erin and Robin laughing together as Robin sat at their table, food piled dangerously high on his plate.

He was happy the two were getting along, the pink flush in their cheeks and the whoosh of carbon dioxide leaving their lungs left him wanting as they laughed themselves breathless. Robin still a painful reminder of what he had lost those years ago and it ached, more than any wound or slap across the face.

“Hey Vlad!” Erin said, moving over to let him sit, “How was Ingrid?” She asked, digging into what he assumed was a shepard’s pie, the moats of gravy breaking the banks of the golden pastry.

The lingering confusion was still floating in his mind, “Err…she was fine, I guess. Bit weird she…thanked me?” he said, scratching his head.

“Weird,” Jono said, looking at the table, “Your sister was always so horrible in school.”

“Hey!” Vlad said, giving the boy a sharp look, “That’s my sister you’re talking about,” he felt his protective instincts rage for a moment as he looked at Jono’s uncaring face, who didn’t even look up from chewing on his food. This did nothing but incense him further, the itching beneath his skin becoming nearly unbearable as he looked towards Erin hoping to communicate his panic. He couldn’t lose it, not here.

Erin herself looked appalled but there was no shock in her face. Jono smirked into his plate silently egging him on as he chewed loudly he said, “I know.”

Vlad barely smothered a growl, a cool shock of ice felt like it was injected into his bloodstream circulating fury around his body. He knew that Ingrid wasn’t the loveliest person, but she was still his sister, “You take that back!” Vlad said, barely above a whisper, the threat underlying his words hummed with barely contained fury.

Jono gripped the table, his knuckles turning white as he grit out, “Make me!”

Vlad jumped from his seat as the room when silent, he felt tense, each muscle screaming for him to tear the boy’s throat out for his disrespect.

“Alright!” Erin said, placing her hands up between the two, “That’s enough male posturing for now. Let's just eat alright.”

Vlad turned from the boy, feeling himself tremor imperceptibly as he sat, unable to take a calming breath for fear of what he would do. Instead, he gripped his arms, pain running up them in throbbing currents, he counted each wave to calm himself. Looking up he saw Robin staring at him, eyes wide and wondering, lips parted slightly, and he felt himself drawn into those dark pools, losing himself within their depths and swimming within their inkiness.

Robin turned away quickly, a blush dusting his cheeks but Vlad felt calmer, he had stopped shaking and coughed, “Sorry Jono…I overacted and I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that, it’s…it’s been tough here we only just got Ingrid back and I guess I just felt overly protective of her but that’s no excuse…I’m really sorry,” the words fell out of his mouth in a garbled mess of desperation and hope, he wanted the boy to forgive him for his outburst.

Jono just scowled, slamming his fork into his plate, veins popping on his forehead in red ropes as he chewed his food with his eyes downcast.

Crushed Vlad just stared at his hands, the cool chill of rejection swam across his skin like a familiar balm. Guilt sat heavy in his chest as Erin sent him a sympathetic look, barely looking at her own food.

Lunch passed in stilted silence. Vlad didn’t even take a swig of the soyblood that was in his water bottle, his stomach in far too many knots to even think of keeping it down.

Vlad noticed that Robin wouldn’t even meet his eyes again.

He had ruined things.

* * *

He and Jono had class together after lunch. Sitting in English Robin could not believe the way the boy had acted, he nearly blew their cover with his outburst, in the midst of many innocents.

He had seen the way Vlad had reacted, he’d come across it before, a vampire on the edge of their tether and on the verge of snapping. Jono had been careless, and Robin felt his blood simmer at the risk the boy had taken. Vlad had even apologized, pulling himself back from the edge was against every fibre of a vampire’s being. He looked as if it caused him physical pain, the grip on his arms would have broken a human’s bones and would have left bruises upon his pale flesh. When he had gazed at him, capturing him with the light sapphire of eyes, his pupils nearly completely dilated in consuming blackness Robin had nearly felt something akin to sympathy. It was as if he was begging for Robin to help him, the icy pools left him breathless for a moment with their pain. He had to look away, the guilt chewed at him even now. For what he wasn’t entirely sure.

As the class ended Robin pulled Jono aside, away from listening ears, “Jono!”

“What?!” he asked, his lip jutting out with petulant vigour. 

Robin rolled his eyes, “Hey don’t be like that okay. We’re on the same side,” he said.

“Are we?” Jono hissed, teeth clenched.

Robin took a step back feeling as if the boy had slapped him, “Of course!”

“Then why were you making googly eyes at Dracula? Huh?” Jono asked surging forward and getting up into his personal space, “Back to your vampire loving ways blood boy?”

Robin’s eyes widened shaking his head, “No! Jono! What’s gotten into you? Why are you being like this?”

“I am not like them!” the boy exploded, his hand going wide and tears shone in his eyes like tiny crystals, “You think you’re above all of this? Thinking we’re so cruel? That you can just pretend so easily? Those things killed my dad!”

Robin noticed they were starting to attract stares, he dragged Jono into the closest bathroom, sitting him down on the toilet seat as the boy hung his head. Robin kneeled in front of him, placing a comforting hand on his knee, “Hey…hey Jono. It’s okay, this…this isn’t normal and you’re just reacting to stress, but you need—you need to keep it together. You can’t let her get to you like that. I know how you’re feeling, and I know how much to hurts to still see her alive…well undead. But we’ve got plans bigger than Ingrid Dracula okay?” Jono sniffled wiping his eyes, “You’re tough Jono. You can do it.”

“Thanks Robin," the boy whispered his voice hoarse, “I’m sorry for what I said that wasn’t fair I just…I know the two of them are in league somehow, I can just feel it!”

Robin had seen the conflict that warred across Vlad’s face when Ingrid had stood before them. They had never been close as children and vampires weren’t well known for working well with each other without stabbing each other in the back. But he chose to keep silent on that thought.

“Come on man,” he said pulling the boy up from his position, grabbing his water bottle and shoving it in the other boy’s hand, “We’ve got class to get to and then we need to talk to your mum.”

Jono blinked at the black bottle in his hand, “Yeah,” he said vaguely, “Thanks Robin.”

The two left the stall and headed to their next class. Robin couldn’t help but feel guilty when he looked at the slayer, his thoughts swimming with ice eyes and hidden stakes, instead of the task at hand.

* * *

School has been difficult to say the least, Vlad had made sure to avoid the humans for the rest of the day, only coming down from the attic for his classes and then returning to the shadowed embrace of the attic. Keeping a close eye on Bertrand and his father’s research progress his brain too full of swirling brown eyes and sneering mouths to join them in the search. He sunk into the couch and closed his eyes, hoping that the headache that had gathered in his temples would pass.

There was so little that he felt he could say to anyone, his father and Bertrand would not understand their only advice seemed to center around a philosophy of biting and power, while Erin despised the parts of himself that slipped out from the thin veneer of humanity. 

There was Ingrid, however the thought of telling her anything about how he was feeling left him with a prickly feeling running across his skin, as if he was been seen through. Ingrid would no doubt find a way to use the information, despite her claims of wishing to protect him. It was, unfortunately, something that had proved itself over time. It would take more than one hopeful conversation to convince him.

There were people surrounding him and people who wished to meet him from across the globe, all wishing to bask in their understandings of might and power that were held within a flash of fangs.

However, he had no one to talk to about these things that bubbled within, an impossible longing. It was something Robin would have listened to in the past, probably would have sat on his orange bedsheets, stuffing his face full of chocolates saying that he didn’t have it too bad, at least Vlad didn’t have to suffer through the curse of being _normal._ The hypothetical argument that played out in his mind between the two younger children brought a small smile to his face, he felt something akin to a warm cloud bloom in his chest at the thought of his time in Stokely.

“Sethius!” The Count crowed, rousing Vlad from his memories, “I knew it! I knew I had heard that name before! Look! Look!” Vlad dragged himself out of his seat joining Bertrand as they crowded around a dust old tome clutched in The Count’s hands, “According to vampiric myth he was one of the very first vampires. Apparently, he would be about 3000 years old by now!” he flipped through the pages, searching the worn pages stopping on a familiar looking book penned upon one of the last pages.

“That’s the book!” Vlad said, pointing at the picture, watching as Bertrand’s face burst with excitement.

“Perhaps he wrote it?” Bertrand postured, “Instructions to reveal the source of his power. It’s obviously filling itself out slowly, piece by piece,” the older vampire leaned over The Count’s shoulder, his fingers brushing the illustration lightly.

“There will probably be another four chapters in there by now,” The Count said, disregarding Bertrand and looking towards Vlad hope shining in his eyes.

Vlad sighed, “No there won’t be.”

“How do you know?” The Count asked turning to him with a scowl. Vlad felt a small bit of panic flutter in his chest as he shrugged, steering clear of Bertrand’s piercing gaze, “The book could hold unnamed power. Who knows at what speed it will reveal itself?”

The two older vampires made eye contact, as if they were communicating telepathically. Vlad guessed they well and truly could be. The two rushed out the room, Vlad knew where they were going and followed them through the dark hallways reluctantly to the training room.

He jogged behind the two as they walked down the narrow passageways, “Just don’t get your hopes up. I’m telling you, you’re wasting your time,” Vlad said, knowing they were leading themselves to disappointment.

“Well come on then,” The Count exclaimed as the two marched into the room, Vlad following behind quickly watching as the book opened as if expectant of their arrival.

Bertrand flipped through the pages, sending eddies of dust into the air. He paused before saying, “There’s more text,” Vlad felt his stomach sink, eyes flicking around the room for Erin in the shadows. She had gone behind his back again, a slight spark of anger lit within him. She was uncaring of the dangers that the book posed to her and the rest of his family. Bertrand continued, “ _Worlds_ it’s _Destroyer of Worlds._ Then it continues, _Heir of Destruction, Creator of Chaos, Lord Misrule…”_

The Count rolled his eyes, “How many titles does a man need?”

Bertrand looked down at the book, his face crinkled in concentration as he translated, “ _Sultan of Screams…”_

Vlad knew he had to get the other two out of there, it was very possible that Erin was in the room and neither of the older vampires would be particularly happy to see her, “Get to point,” he said.

Bertrand flipped ahead a few pages, “ _Do hereby declare that the clue to unleashing the power of the_ _Praedictum Impaver lies on the final page…_ that’s as far as it goes again,” disappointment coloured his voice as he flicked through the mockingly blank pages.

Vlad looked over Bertrand’s shoulders to the blankness of the pages, feeling a rush of relief, “Well that’s progress of sorts. Let’s come back later, perhaps there will be more,” he started to slowly back up towards the door in the hopes of the older two following him.

The Count said in frustration, “With our luck he’ll be starting on the acknowledgements.”

Bertrand seemed to lean into the book, his face a mask of wonder in his entrancement with it’s potential, “Why don’t we wait and watch the words appear for themselves?”

Vlad walked back, snapping in his desperation, “Ah no!” the two looked at him with disbelief, he stuttered out, “I want to find out more about this Sethius first. We can come back later!”

“Agreed,” The Count said as he stalked out of the room, his coat tails flapping on an invisible wind.

Vlad watched him go, before turned back to the curly haired vampire, “Bertrand?” he asked, willing him to leave.

“Yeah, yeah coming,” Bertrand said, confusion lacing his voice as he turned away from the book. Satisfied, Vlad turned to follow his father keen to get them both out of the room and away from the book that reeked ill-intent. 

He moved quickly out of the room, the corridors crowding him in the darkness as he made his way through the old disused corridors of Garside. His mind was flooded with thoughts of the book and Erin. The bite of her small betrayal cut into him, knowing that she didn’t trust him to figure out the book. He took a deep breath, the dust swirling around him as he stopped, unable to take another step, the vortex of dust moats gathered around him as his body hummed with anger.

“Breather!” Bertrand’s voice hissed in his ear, his head whiplashed back to the training room, the inhumane roar filling his mind as he flittered back and panic soared through him.

He was met by a scene that he had hoped to only see in his nightmares, Erin cowered away from the taller man, the book of Aramaic clutched in her arms as she stuttered in the face of death. Bertrand hissed at the girl his eyes flashing crimson as he stalked towards her.

Vlad let his fangs drop as he watched the scene, the shadows squawked in delight around him, dancing for their master. He grabbed Bertrand, clawing at his jacket as Vlad spun him around to face him, “Go! Now!” he commanded to Erin, looking towards her then back to his tutor. 

Her eyes met his, flicking towards the fangs that protruded from his mouth, her breath coming in tiny gasps, her could faintly hear her heart quivering in her chest. She was afraid. She nodded and ran from the room, her shoes slapping against the stone floor. Bertrand watched her as she disappeared.

Turning on Vlad the man loomed over him, fangs bared, “You can’t let her go! She’s a breather!”

“I know,” Vlad said, letting malice drip into his voice as he stared into his tutor’s eyes, not allowing himself a moment of weakness, or a moment for the older vampire to give chase.

Bertrand took a step back, “You knew?”

The anger seeped into his veins as he watched Bertrand’s eyes flick after the girl, his thoughts written across his face, “Yes!” he said, taking a step towards the older vampire, “and I don’t care and that means you don’t either. Do you understand?” Bertrand’s brow creased, his face cast in half darkness, but he did not agree. He kept silent watching him. Vlad continued, “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her.”

Bertrand sighed, quietly, nearly imperceptibly, the muscles in his face relaxing and his fangs retracting, “I-I do not pretend to understand your love for the breathers but I am at your will,” he said putting his hands up, “I will not harm her but I must warn against you getting close to her.”

Vlad kept himself on edge, not allowing his fangs to withdraw, he stayed silent for a moment, weighing his tutor’s words carefully, “and what would make you say that?”

“If you are concerned about your newly arrived breather friends and the possibility of…stakes in their hands. In my years upon this earth Vlad I have failed many times we all do. When I was younger I myself felt…things towards a breather but when she found out my true nature, she—she nearly killed me in my naivety,” Bertrand said, his head hung.

“Erin would never—” his fangs retracted as he spoke, uneasiness swimming in his bones.

Bertrand held up his hand, “Just…listen. I will not tell you what to do, that is not my place,” he looked up at Vlad, his face stony, “There is much to be said for comradery, and breathers always band together eventually. You must proceed with caution. Do you even know this girl?”

“Of course! She’s Erin!” Vlad said indignation sitting plainly in his voice.

“What are her parent’s names?” Bertrand asked pointing to where Erin had disappeared to.

“I—I don’t know she never told me,” Vlad whispered, uncertainty worming its way into his heart.

Bertrand surged forward towards him, “Where did she grow up?”

“I don’t know alright!” Vlad yelled tearing at his hair.

“That’s because she doesn’t want you to know Vlad! She’s using you!” Bertrand said tightly.

“I don’t…I don’t believe it,” Vlad said, ignoring the chattering in his mind that whispered of betrayal, “You have no evidence.”

“I will,” Bertrand promised, flitting from the room.

In the emptiness Vlad couldn’t bring himself to follow the vampire, the darkness was encroaching on his vision, crawling across his eyes with inky tendrils. His legs gave way beneath him, as the familiar empty space opened in his chest, it yawned at sat heavily upon him, grinding his thoughts to a halt. There was nothing, only the small field of vision that the darkness allowed, consumed by the wooden chandelier that hung above him. 

It was quiet.

It was still.

Thank fog no one was around.

He felt his eyes slip closed, but he wasn’t aware enough to care.

* * *

A small bang from upstairs broke him from his trance, he climbed up his limbs heavy and dull as he walked to the attic where the noise had come from. The was little movement in the house despite the reign of night which normally brought his family out.

A small trickle of fear ran down his back, as he stepped cautiously down the hall towards the dining room, the creak of the floorboard under his foot making him wince.

There was a rustling noise to his left, emanating from Erin’s room, he rushed over flinging open the door to reveal Bertrand ransacking the room in a frenzy of arms and growls.

Vlad stormed into the room, “What do you think you’re doing?” watching Bertrand open Erin’s coffin, his hands searching every inch of the inside before closing it soundly. 

“Looking for something that tells us who this girl really is. You can’t surely believe she isn’t lying to you Vlad!?” the vampire said desperately as he opened the draws of a dark wood dresser, pulling out small nick nacks and throwing them to the ground with a clatter.

Vlad veered away from the flying projectiles, “We know who she really is! It doesn’t matter that we don’t know much about her past. She’s a good person!” He said worry evident in his voice as Bertrand tossed open a wicker chest.

Bertrand turned to him, his face morphing in shock, “You think you can trust her? We can never trust them. There’s always an ulterior motive.”

Vlad stamped on his growing suspicion, “Not this time!” he said, closing the lid of the chest with a thump.

Bertrand ignored him, sliding past him to the chest of draws in the corner, throwing open each draw and rifling through them, “Vampires and breathers I’ve seen it all before. It only ever ends one way!” Bertrand turned to him, pleading evident in his voice and Vlad was nearly tempted to just let the vampire go. If only to quell the raging storm of suspicion that had swallowed the room.

Vlad surged forwards, grabbing the older vampire’s cool wrist, “I told you to stop,” he said bitterly, venom dousing his works.

Bertrand tore himself from his grip, walking over to the corner, “You’re not listening to me! You’ve let a breather know we’re here! Do you understand what kind of danger that could—” a loud creak broke the tension, both looked down to a loose floorboard that sat under Bertrand’s polished boot.

The panic and doubt caught Vlad up in a whirlwind as the older vampire bent down and removed the floorboard, “Oh come on! What are you expecting to find?”

Bertrand searched for a moment, his hands consumed by the shadows, he looked up at Vlad a frown creasing across his face. Vlad could see, written across his face that Bertrand had found something. Bertrand pulled out a black leather pouch, it was unassuming and small, tied together with a leather cord. Bertrand laid it out on the coffin, with something akin to reverence unfolding the black leather back to reveal what he had dreaded most, the tools of a slayer laid out before him like a death warrant.

Bertrand slowly picked up the stake, twirling it in his hand and the silvery glint of the slayer’s seal caught in the moonlight that streaked through the window, its reflection singing of guilt.

“You see! Vla—”

Footsteps met their ears and the two fell silent. Vlad stared at the tools in front of him glistening silver in the moonlight and his heart lodged itself in his throat. The footsteps grew louder to reveal Ingrid as she entered the room. She watched them silently for a moment until her eyes landed up the pouch and she looked up at Vlad no surprise or despair was clear upon her face, but she took a step back from the coffin.

Vlad felt his breath catch in his throat as he watched his sister eye up the weapons, his chest ache with sobs that wished to tear themselves from his chest with bitterly cold hands. Those wicked things that lay on the coffin lid and he felt fear, true and unaltered. It coursed through him, mingling with the betrayal and the hurt, leaving his insides soupy as he crushed the voice that howled for revenge.

Erin, all wide eyes and breathing stepped into the room, greeted with the hiss of Bertrand. Vlad grabbed him before he took a step towards her, “Don’t,” Vlad whispered.

She saw the tools, her breath quivered in her lungs, her lips parting and her pupils dilating into inky pools of dread.

“Is it true? Are you a slayer?” Vlad cursed his voice as it trembled over the words, he watched when her breath hitched and her hands trembled in the white light of the moon.

She nodded and something teared and twisted in him, gnawing as Erin slowly walked towards him. He shied away from her touch, facing the blankness of the wall if only to control himself. Focussing on a shadow of a stain that marred the wall, keeping his fists balled at his side.

“But you have to understand it was all for Ryan.” Erin pleaded, her voice was desperately sharp, “Ingrid turned him and so I came here to slay you all, it was the only way I thought you could lift the curse. But then I met you…” Vlad turned to her, her face swimming before him in watery eddies as she spoke, “and you told me your plan and I saw a better way. I believe in you and your ideas of vampires and breathers living together. Please Vlad I’m asking you to trust me,” she begged.

Vlad turned away from her, there was nothing to say. Trust was something he had once known but this had shattered his last memory of it, the agony was just as great as any stake.

He could nearly feel Ingrid bristle at the girl as she snarled, “He’ll never trust anyone ever again…look at what you’ve done to him,” he felt the weight of her hand on his shoulder, lending him strength. There wasn’t pity in their exchange just understanding.

Erin fumbled over her words, “Please you have to! I’m not the one you have to be afraid of…she is! Do you really think she’s different now? She wants you dead, she’s got a posse of vampire girls out there with stakes with your name of them,” Vlad huffed out a painful chuckle.

Ingrid’s head whipped around towards the girl, “Projecting your sad fantasy onto me with your fictional posse of mine. Your whole life is just one lie after another.” Vlad couldn’t help but agree. Erin wasn’t here, it was just apart of herself that she was willing to show if only manipulate others around her. He was talking to a shadow.

“It’s true! You have to believe me,” Erin implored, her voice cracking as tears broke the banks of her eyelashes, he tasted the salt of them on the air and he felt a swell of vindication.

He whirled around, feeling his body tense as he looked at her, loathing heated his skin in the way that the sun never could, “Why should I?” the tears fell then, running silvery streams down his cheeks, “You only ever confide in me when you have to! Ingrid’s right, all you ever do is lie to me.” 

Erin’s eyes were as wide as dinner plates, her hands shaking, “Don’t tell me you’re listening to her. You know me!”

Vlad’s blood turned to steel at those words, he didn’t know her, and she didn’t know him, not really. He went in for the kill, “So, you’ve never slain a vampire?”

The pained look that crossed her face was enough for Vlad, “I-I never meant to,” she whispered, her eyes flicking away for a moment then back to Vlad her lips trembling.

The damn broke, “Get out!” He yelled, “I don’t ever want to see you again. GO!” his voice echoed throughout the house as lightning lanced upon the windowpanes. Vlad’s face transmuted, his skin stretched as if he had been possessed by a demon, his fangs extended, and his jaw unlocked with a sickening pop as his world descended into shadow with an unholy yell.

He had expected her to run screaming, there was fear yes, it pulled at every feature, her skin as pale as snow but she stood for a moment just watching him. She said softly, “Do you love him?”

Vlad’s features snapped back into place with surprise, the shadows no longer bending to his command, “What?” he asked, the film of red dissipating from his vision at the thought.

She paused, fiddling with his jacket, “Don’t trust him…just watch your back.”

Her exiting footsteps echoed in his mind as Ingrid crushed him into her chest the spikes of her necklace dug into his cheek, but he melted into her embrace. Burying his head into her neck, the smell of her a familiar comfort from long ago. He heard the click of the latch as Bertrand closed the door behind the girl.

The tears flowed freely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOFT! Poor Erin! Poor Vlad! I wanted to give a bit more justice to Vlad and the way he's feeling during this time. I feel like the show didn't really capture the sort of self-loathing that Vlad seemed to be carrying about being a vampire. Especially considering his transformation happened off screen! (Tragic) 
> 
> Anyway, let me know what you think in the comments!


	8. The Dracula Operation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Slayers are moving in on Garside Grange and Robin struggles with images of a younger Vlad that invade his mind. Vlad himself is paralyzed with the loss and betrayal of Erin, unable to lift a finger to defend himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY! How is everyone? Here is a new chapter! I hope you enjoy it! We're really gearing up in this chapter and I'm excited for the next one!

The chill of the air bit at his exposed skin, leaving him pink and raw as the wind howled around him. The cool metal under his fingers stung as Robin strained to lift the great metallic monstrosity into position, outside of the sightline of the road. 

“This will do ‘ere I reckon,” a lumbering man said to his left, jowls wobbling in the wind, his bulbous nose was flushed with cold.

“Done for the night?” Robin asked the man, he had not met him before, his accent indicated he was probably from South London. However, the Dracula operation was quickly becoming one of the largest in the country and had caused many slayer transfers from outside of the county.

“Yeah I reckon the others will be done. I’ll just radio in,” the older man grumbled, shielding himself from the biting wind he pulled out a radio, “Coming back to base. Over,” there was a garbled response, but it was stolen from Robin’s hears by the bellowing wind.

“Going back?” Robin asked, shoving his hands into his pockets, he eyed the great machine that towered over him and glowed a sickly purple. Great metal arms protruded out of it like warped branches that glistened in the white of the moon.

“Yeah back to base,” The man said trudging back to the black van that sat idling in the inlet. Robin followed, pulling the hood of his coat up, rubbing his hands together in the vain hope for warmth. He jumped into the passenger seat; the interior always suffused with heat.

The AC blasted within the dark interior of the van, the lights of the dash left the men basked in a blue glow as they drove along the quiet night roads. Robin didn’t even know the man’s name that sat next to him silently guiding the car, he didn’t really have any compulsion to know the man at all. So, he let the silence wash over him like a balm, his mind wandering in circles as the white lines of the roads whizzed underneath them.

Jono had been quite explicit about anonymity at the start of their training, it was best not to get attached to other slayers. Their life expectancy was too short, and the emotional damage was far too great, they were destined to lead solitary lives for the sake of humanity. It was something that Robin had basked in when he had joined, the ability to be alone but he and Jono had become friends, their childhood tying them together in a way that went against the basis of the Slayer Code. He had been resistant at first, when Jono had asked him if he wanted to go out for lunch, instead he had gone in search of more dust to fill the vials that were mounted upon his bedroom walls. But slowly, Robin noticed the same fire that was lit behind Jono’s eyes that he knew was in his own and he felt the pull of friendship.

It was in some ways similar to what he had felt for Vlad all those years ago, an undeniable _need_ to be close, for understanding and belonging. As soon as he had climbed up into his tower bedroom all those years ago he had known he had found a kindred spirit.

Vlad’s face settled in his mind now, it seemed to sit there often since his near staking, just watching as Robin went about his days and nights. It was the familiar pallor of his childhood, pink still could rise in his cheeks in this image, sometimes he would talk but nothing of any note. Occasionally it was scathing comments about the slayers, how cruel they were. How the Van Helsings didn’t care that he wasn’t a vampire yet, that he was just a boy. The image asked why Robin was hanging out with them, as if Vlad couldn’t join the dots. Every syllable brought a trickle of guilt running down Robin’s neck. But sometimes the hallucinatory Vlad just reminded him to brush his teeth. Then Vlad would laugh, it was a tinkling, echoing sound that ran around his head, circling and churning in his mind.

Robin knew what they had done tonight, what the slayers planned. The sinking certainty when they had placed the machine in the forest, about a mile from Garside. The whispers of a new weapon in the guild had left the hairs on his neck standing at attention, something of unstoppable might that would reduce the Draculas to dust without so much as a snarl.

The van cruised into the holding bay, lines of black vans and trucks consumed his vision as slayers swarmed the base all garbed in black military wear.

Sighing, he got out of the van with a mumbled thanks to the driver and went to go find Jono. They had taken a few days off school in preparation for the Dracula operation and Jono has been holed up with his mother in the command room.

He knew the way without having to concentrate much, his feet taking him where he needed to go. He had to consciously ignore the stares that he was receiving from the other slayers as they moved out of his path with wide eyes. His boots clicked against the metal grate beneath his feet as he walked into the control room, wincing at the noise and action that buzzed around him. It was a hive and at the center was Jono and Mina, each barking orders to petrified looking slayers.

“Robin!” Jono yelled over the noise, his face a mask of concern as Robin weaved through the crowd. He came up to the centre platform, it seemed that Jono had recovered from his outburst the other day. Robin noticed the way he stood, straight backed and proud, his eyes shining once more with determination, “Been a while mate, sorry for the radio silence it’s been busy here. Come with me, I have something to show you.”

Robin pulled up short, “Yeah sure,” he said, confusion churning in his belly as the boy pulled Robin out of the room quickly leaving Mina to yell at a young slayer about UV calibration.

They walked the halls, Jono silent next to him as they meandered to the lower levels of Head Quarters. The sounds of voices slowly falling away as they quested deeper into the lower networks of the building.

Eventually the cramped hallways opened up into a cavernous space, nearly completely dark except for a purple glow that emanated from the end of the room, a great metal monstrosity filled the back wall. The silver metal glinted dangerously in the dark, the steady hum of machinery filled Robin’s ears as he felt his stomach drop into his shoes.

He turned to Jono, whose face was alight with a blinding smile as he took in the machine, his eye raking over it, “This Robin is how we’re getting our revenge,” he whispered.

“What?” Robin asked, stepping towards the machine, “This hunk of metal’s going to stake the Draculas?”

Jono laughed, it belted out of him like thunder in the dark space and Robin raised an eyebrow looking over the boy bathed in the glow of purple.

Jono wiped away a tear, chuckles still breaking through his professional veneer as he said, “Nah Robin, it’s a UV cage, like a giant one that will go over Garside from the receptors you planted outside. It’ll trap the Draculas, making them completely powerless. Then we take them out one by one from the outside, pick em off you know. They’ll have no way to defend themselves.”

Robin blinked; the words sunk into his mind as he stared at Jono, his jaw coming loose. The rumours had proved themselves true, and he felt uneasiness seep into his skin, an itch of wrongness that scuttled through his veins at the thought, “Powerless? So, we’re executing them is what you’re saying?”

“It’s what they deserve Robin,” Jono said, “The Draculas are a disease and they need to be eradicated. This will make sure of it. It’s our best chance for justice,” the ice in his words kept Robin’s response stuck in his throat as the shadows danced across Jono’s face.

Robin took a step back from the machine, it seemed to grow in size before him, the weight of its power sizzled through the air, “It’s definitely something…”

Jono sighed, pulling Robin away from the machine and out of the room with rough hands, manhandling him into the corridor despite Robin’s protests, “Look Robin…I understand the way we’re dealing with this is not _traditional_ however, Vlad is the Chosen One, we don’t know the true extent of his powers and this is the safest way of doing it without the loss of life,” he shrugged, “I know you wanted to stake him yourself and Ingrid too but think of the good you’ll be doing okay,” he gave Robin a light punch on the shoulder and a smile.

“Yeah…I guess you’re right,” Robin whispered, the words slipped out of his mouth painfully at the thought. Vlad’s face hung behind his eyelids as he rubbed them with his fists.

Jono let him go, brushing himself off, “We’ve got to get back to the school, make sure that all of the receptors are in place. Then we strike.”

* * *

The seat next to him was empty, barren and cruel in the absence of its owner. Vlad couldn’t look at it, he had been avoiding its sterile stare for the last hour. The end was close now and he could escape from the clutches of his class, the content was muddling in his ears, barely registering as English let alone any consumable information.

The bell cut through the white noise that had invaded the space inside his head, he leapt up and sped out of the room as fast as his human charade would allow. The white lino of the halls squeaked under his shoes as he walked. He hoped to miss the rush of students for lunch but the swell of heat caught up with him, rushing behind him in waves of warmth and sweat that left his fangs aching. He had been unable to swallow the soy blood this morning, his mind flushed with thoughts of Erin that had left him ill to his core. The thirst swelled in him now in consequence, the itch crawling up his throat as the veins of students swayed before him in the rhythm of the lunch rush. He clawed for his bottle in his bag, the smell of soy wafting from the container as he twisted the top off taking a subtle swig from the bottle making sure to surreptitiously wipe his mouth. The liquid slipped down his throat easily, at room temperature it was even worse than it was after he had warmed it but the burn in his throat subsided.

He capped the bottle with shaking fingers, caught up in the currents of the sea of students that rushed around him, “Vlad!” a familiar voice yelled across the heads of the humans from in front of him the familiar shock of black hair bounced towards him, struggling through the throng.

Vlad kept his head down, Robin’s voice playing in his ears as he swept through the crowds, he couldn’t be around the boy, let alone look him in the eye. He could hear Robin’s breath behind him, the murmur of his heart against his ribs, the groan of his joints as he followed him. He wasn’t letting up, calling his name through the crowd, his footsteps became heavier, quicker at a light jog. Vlad felt a hand on his arm, and he allowed himself to be turned around forcibly, a growl traitorously slipped past his lips, the instinct to pull himself from the boy’s grasp sizzled just below his skin.

“Vlad?” Robin looked concerned, his voice soft and eyes wide as he took in the scowl that marred Vlad’s face. He quickly drew himself up and schooled his features, dropping into the human costume that he so loved for Robin. Anything for Robin, just to keep him near enough, like a burning flame.

He sighed, “Hi Robin, what’s up?” he shoved his bottle back into his back before the boy could get a good look at it.

“Oh, nothing really…I was just wondering if you wanted to come to lunch but—are you okay Vlad? You seem I dunno off. Where’s Erin didn’t you two have class together?” Vlad winced at his words, the concern lacing through them.

“Yeah um Erin’s…” Vlad panicked from a moment; he hadn’t thought for a moment of what to say to anyone who asked. He made sure to keep the emotion out of his voice, choking on the truth that willed him to spill to his old friend, “She—she’s gone. Back to her family I think—I…excuse me,” Vlad pushed past him, ignoring the quizzical look that Robin gave him and the hurt that swirled in the boy’s irises as he rushed off.

“Vlad!?” Robin yelled as he ran, struggling to keep the human veneer up as his steps reverberated upon the ground, “Vlad!”

Vlad couldn’t breathe, the habit dying under the pressure that threatened to burst from his chest. The hurt seemed like a separate thing from him, like a limb that had sprouted from his body only to be hacked off with cruel stabs. It had been idiotic of him to come into the school, the Erin-shaped wound was cut into body too deeply for him to function. Robin kept calling but his voice faded away, unable to keep up with him and the boy was probably swept off into the crowd but Vlad didn’t dare to look back.

The steps met him in his haste, and he tripped up the stairs to the attic, just wishing for the embrace of his coffin, for the cool metal to hold him steady, to make sure his body didn’t fall apart. Rushing to his room he barely noticed the smell of Bertrand drifting from his room as he opened the door.

“Oh Bertrand,” the older vampire turned, looking as put together as always, “H-hi sorry,” Vlad wiped his eyes quickly, “What are you doing in here?” Vlad asked, taking a quick calming breath as the man scanned him critically.

“Sorry for the intrusion Vlad I was just looking to talk to you for a moment,” Bertrand said, his hands clasped behind and back as straight as an arrow.

“Sure,” Vlad sighed, throwing himself into the embrace of the couch. He pulled out the soy blood from his bag with the swish of liquid he took a swig and he was sure that Bertrand’s nose scrunched in barely hidden disgust.

Bertrand looked put out for a moment, “Are you sure that this is the right time?” he shuffled his feet as he looked down at the younger vampire.

“I’m fine Bertrand just spit it out already so I can go to sleep,” Vlad spat, feeling his irritation rise within him at his tutor’s reticence.

“Well Vlad,” Bertrand leaned against the end of Vlad’s coffin, crossing his arm, “We need to talk about Erin.”

Vlad tensed, each muscle contracting with almost painful iciness, “What about her?” he grit out.

“It’s just that, we cannot let her get away. She knows too much Vlad,” Bertrand whispered leaning forward and steepling his fingers, “I know that you care for her but…think of the risk.”

Vlad looked at the man, shock chilling his body, “No. You’ve already tried to dust Ingrid once and now you want another go at Erin?”

Bertrand sighed, “You know I did those things on the order of your father…but this time I will not do so without your order but I can see how this has affected you,” he pulled a hanky out his pocket and passed it to Vlad who had barely felt the tears making their passage down his face. He didn’t reach out to take it, instead he swiped at the offending drops, frustration rising in him as Bertrand continued, “Look at you, the slayer girl has weakened you and we must find her and destroy her,” Bertrand said, stuffing the fabric back into his pocket.

Vlad snapped, “If it wasn’t for her you wouldn’t have any words in your precious little book,” he hissed, before he stumbled on the words, berating himself for letting that little tid-bit slip from him. He grasped at the metal of the water bottle, hearing the faint scream of metal as it bent under his fingers.

“What do you mean by that?” Bertrand’s head tilted.

Vlad let ice slip into his voice, fixing the vampire a cold stare, “Nothing. Just leave her alone.”

Bertrand clenched his teeth and pulled from behind him a worn newspaper which he threw at his feet. Vlad scanned the headline that read _Mass Slayings_ as Bertrand pleaded, “If you won’t consider it for your own sake, think of your people. The Slayers grow stronger every day, vampires everywhere wait for you to lead them to glory—”

The cool balm of his anger gave way, “Then they’ll wait a long time. I’m not leading an army Bertrand. Are we clear? I just,” Vlad sighed raking his hands through his hair, “I know what you think of me Bertrand. You don’t have to…you know try and convince me it’s just—Do you know how old I am?”

Bertrand looked at quizzically, his brows knitted together, “Of course, you’re seventeen.”

Vlad laughed, high and tinny like rain on a metal roof, “You know…sometimes I forget that. I think sometimes you forget that,” he felt them again, the shadows that pulled at him, danced within him as his eyes shifted black, “I am not your puppet to command Bertrand, I will not come at your beck and call whenever you throw a piece of paper at me and I will not be ordered about like a common dog!”

Bertrand leaned back from the tirade, “That’s not what I’m saying Vlad but I’m trying to advise you—”

“Well then let’s keep the murder out of it shall we!” Vlad seethed standing as he grabbed the newspaper from the floor, “I will deal with this, but you leave Erin out of it!”

Bertrand nodded, his mouth slightly agape, “Alright Vlad I trust you,” he sighed, scrubbing his face, “I fear for us Vlad. For what is to become of vampires in this new age.”

“So do I,” Vlad said leaning back onto the couch.

“I-I best be going, I think. Let me know of your plans to deal with the slayers,” Bertrand said clasping his hands together as he walked out of the room, “Vlad,” the vampire turned from the doorway, “What did she mean when she asked if you loved him?” there was a softness there Vlad noted, in the corner of his tutor’s mouth that pulled his lips down.

“I-I don’t know,” Vlad whispered, the lie eased from his mouth like water, flowing from him effortlessly.

Bertrand hummed, “Alright. I’ll leave you to rest,” he pivoted and closed the door behind him.

* * *

“He killed her!” Robin hissed to Jono as he grabbed him from the cafeteria line pulling him outside into the watery sunlight behind the school.

“What?” Jono asked, his eyebrows nearly disappearing into his hairline, “What do you mean Branaugh?”

“Vlad!” he yelped, arms flailing wildly, “I just spoke to him about Erin and he was really cagey about it! He must have discovered her! He couldn’t even look me in the eye, he just ran as soon as I asked him. It wasn’t like before, he was…his face—he was a vampire! You know what I mean?”

“Oh God…” Jono whispered, sliding down the red bricks and into the grass, “I didn’t—we’re going to have to call this in Robin. We can’t take them all now and maybe there’s a chance they’ve still got her alive. Vamps love to play with their food,” Robin felt a shudder race through him at the thought, “We might be able to move the cage forward a few days.”

Robin sat down next to him, his head in his hands, “I should have known, we should have just staked them when we had the chance,” he whispered, his breath shuddered through him as he spoke.

“We couldn’t have known Robin…she wouldn’t have let us anyway,” Jono said and wrapped an arm around him, “Look I’ll call mum now. Let her know what we found and get her orders.”

Jono extricated himself and pulled out his phone from his pocket as he stood, walking away from Robin to call his mother.

The guilt churned in his gut as the familiar weight of the stake pulled at his wrist just below his sleeve. He had let Erin down; she was a slayer and she could take care of herself, but he couldn’t help but feel responsible for her. She was so much like Chloe, a little blonde spit fire, that wouldn’t take any rubbish from anyone. It hurt just to think about the girl, who ran with vampires for her brother, he wondered if Chloe would have done the same for him.

Jono trudged back, a scowl written across his face, “Well I’ve got good news and bad news…which one do you want first? The good or the bad?”

Robin groaned, “Just…give me the good news first.”

“Right well. Erin’s alive and she’s at the guild. She got there early Saturday night. Like two days ago, but mum didn’t tell us.” Robin’s head snapped up, a grin spreading across his face.

“We’ll we’ve got to go see her!” he shouted, dragging himself up the walk, only to be met by Jono’s hand on his shoulder.

“Hold your horses slayer. We’ve got a job to do here don’t forget, we’ll go tonight. But there’s bad news as well, well bad for you. She did it, she slayed Ryan.”

“Do you mean?” Robin stood dumbstruck.

“Yes. Now don’t get all sentimental on me. She agreed to it apparently and we can check on her when we get there. We’ve got some receptors to check on still _and_ you took me away from lunch,” Jono said with a small smile, “Come on let’s get some food. The quicker we do this, the quicker we can check on her.”

Robin just nodded, his feet taking him back into the cafeteria as Jono chatted happily away. His mind was filled with images of Erin alone in the darkness, only the UV cage giving her vision as she stared at a Vlad shaped shadow with a stake in her hand.

The thought made him sick.

* * *

Aramaic, Vlad decided as he laid upon the couch with his book, was the worst language to ever have been invented. It was not the way he would have preferred to spend his Monday afternoon. Why would some vampire even use it in his book when the title was so obviously Latin? Flares for the dramatic aside it was just unnecessary.

“Vlad,” Erin’s voice whispered in his mind, skating across the surface of his thoughts, “Vlad I know you can hear me…meet me in the archway,” He put the book down, the words swimming before him in the dull light of his lamp as he looked to his door placing the letter between the pages as a bookmark. Erin was in the school, skulking about the old bricks, a stake probably in hand but each fibre of his behind sung with curiosity that he could not deny and he flittered down behind her bathed in the shadow of the archway. She turned with a slight gasp at his arrival, “Did you get my text?” she asked.

Vlad watched her as she filled with the sleeve of her coat, “You say they’re going to attack us,” he said, the empty space opening slightly, his emotions under a tight grip of control.

“They’re going to do a lot worse, they’re going to annihilate you,” she said, her voice hard. Vlad clenched his fists at his sides. Feeling that familiar hunger grow in his chest at the thought of the slayer’s arrogance, “They have a weapon.”

“What kind of weapon?” he asked.

She sighed and worried her lip, “I don’t know but I’m going to find out.”

The irritation seeped into his voice as Vlad hissed and his face twisted in disgust, “Tell me why I should believe you.”

“Because I care for you,” she uttered, her eyes begging as she took a step towards him, “If I didn’t why would I be here?”

“Oh, I don’t know, to slay me and my family,” Vlad felt the sarcasm like acid across his tongue as he stood still, “You should go.”

Erin’s eyes widened at the harshness of his tone, “Here’s the address of the slayer’s guild if you want to do something about it,” she handed him a while card, which he took gingerly from her hand, “Vlad he—”

“I said go!” thunder rumbled through the sky of water colour grey as Erin scurried off.

Vlad knew, with a sinking feeling, what she was about to say.

* * *

Robin ran towards the girl, his feet banging against the metal grates beneath him, “Erin!” he shouted, garnering a few stares from the other slayers around him as he picked her up and spun her in a circle. The sound of her giggles was music to his ears as he held her. He placed her down gently, “I thought you were dead. Vlad…he was acting really weird and I thought—I thought he had killed you!”

Erin smiled, “Robin! Nice to see you too,” she said fixed her clothes from the sudden rumpling of his embrace.

“Hi Erin,” Jono said as he sidled up to him, “See you’re still in one piece.”

Robin shot the boy a look as her face fell at thought, “Yes…you were right you know. He was so…different it was like Ryan was gone or it was only a shade,” she sniffed and straightened up, Robin noticed the tightness at the edge of her smile, “I did what had to be done and now I’m here to help. I want to help with the Dracuals after…seeing what they did to Ryan I have to you know, for his memory. Your mum said you guys could give me a tour when you got back. She said something about the Dracula operation and that I would need to know a few things about it. Are you up for it?” 

“Sure!” Robin and Jono said in unison, Robin shot her a small wain smile, hoping that she understood the sympathy he held for her.

“Brilliant! Where should we start?” she asked.

“Let’s start with the main event I reckon,” Jono said with a smile, “If you’re going to begin working on the Dracula operation it’s best you see this.”

“What is it?” she asked, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

“You’ll see! Come on,” Jono’s enthusiasm for weaponry was unparalleled in the guild, he nearly skipped down the stairs as Erin and Robin followed. Robin kept his mouth shut, not wanting to let any of his opinions on the cage slip as they walked.

“So, what happened then?” Robin asked the shorter girl as they walked, “At the Draculas I mean, why did you leave?”

Erin tensed for a moment, her eye’s locked on Jono’s back, “They found out I was a slayer. I only barely escaped with my life,” she whispered.

“Vlad found out?” Robin hissed; his fists clenched.

Erin smirked at that, “Not so much, his family was more of the problem than he was. Even if he wanted to he wouldn’t hurt me I don’t think.”

“What do you—”

“Look Erin here we are!” Jono said as he swept his arms widely revealing the great glowing purple behemoth.

“Oh wow!” Erin said, walking into the room. Robin hung back watching the two talk over the cage generator, Jono nearly bounced with excitement as he pointed out the metal toggles.

“Hello Branaugh,” Robin jumped as Mina appeared behind him, “See Jono’s enjoying himself. Go gear up, operation has been moved to tonight.”

Robin gulped and nodded as he watched the severe woman walk towards the two slayers.

He left up the corridor towards his chambers, a stone rolling around in his stomach as he hoisted his crossbow.

He knew what he had to do. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this Chapter! What do you think is going to happen? Will Bertrand betray Vlad? What will Vlad do now? Is Robin still going to work with the slayers? 
> 
> Let me know what you think!


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